There are two key components in managing that anxiety. It’s time, number one, and pain management. I was one of those patients myself that struggled to get numb.
I didn’t know it. I was more frequently told that I was overreacting or just scared and kind of talked down about that. So I’m especially sensitive to patients when they tell me I don’t feel numb.
I will triple check. I will give more. But having that talk with them, trying to find out what was your experience getting numb before, at that point you’ll get, you’ll have the story.
People are happy to share. You know, this person didn’t listen to me. I said I was in pain.
I felt invalidated. It was horrible the whole way through. I’m one of those that needs multiple shots.
I’m, you, you get, you get their story. Giving them the time to tell it is huge. It helps them to feel not only like you’re going to use that information, but that they’re able to talk and have it received.
That lowers that anxiety. Here’s somebody who can, who’s going to give me the time, who believes me, who’s going to listen. That all brings it down.
Pain management is another thing. It’s, I’ve already mentioned it a little bit, but staying on top of that pain management helps to keep that anxiety from coming up any further. Once they feel that pain, especially if they have a previous experience, it takes it right back there.
Trying to keep it from going there is great, but sometimes it still happens. You try to reel it back. But if you go from that pain to anxiety, then you reinforce that pain.
Pain response actually goes up with anxiety. Then with that increased pain response, you get an increased anxious response. And if you go through that cycle enough times, that’s where you get your demo trauma.
Being mindful of how that works, giving your patient the time, listening, and then doing something with that information. Everything you can with that information is, is everything.