Settling Your Pre-Surgery Nerves
Having outpatient surgery means that you will be in and out of Specialty Surgical Center the same day as your surgery. It has fewer risks than more serious procedures such as open-heart surgery, but there are still complications that could happen, and our surgeons understand that it’s scary to our patients! Whether it is surgery for carpel tunnel syndrome, orthopedic surgery, or anything in between, everyone gets nervous to go under the knife.
The first step is to recognize why you are nervous. Is it because you’re afraid something will go wrong or how you’ll feel after anesthesia? Are you worried about feeling pain after or the length of the recovery process? All of these questions can help you target where your fear is so you can tackle your nerves before your procedure.
If the idea of surgery is overwhelming, it may help you to plan ahead. You could schedule all of your appointments ahead of time so you know exactly what day you need to be at physical therapy or your follow up appointment. If you’ll need a friend to drive you home or someone to just visit you at home, start calling your friends so they don’t have to come at the last minute. Plus, scheduling time to see loved ones always helps with nerves.
The next plan would be to get as much information as you can. Read about your procedure and see what risks are involved. Your surgeon knows your medical history and information about your lifestyle (like if you’re a smoker), so he or she will be able to see if the risk applies to you or not. A Specialty Surgical Center nurse will call you prior to your surgery and will be able to answer all of your questions at that time as well. Our team is very attentive to patient’s needs and concerns, so never feel bad for asking a lot of questions!
Now, all of your appointments are scheduled out and you are an Internet expert on your procedure, but you’re still nervous. What can you do? Studies have shown that listening to music before surgery can help tame hospital anxiety. Additionally, you can try to take your mind off of it. Keep busy with a craft or with something that needs a lot of attention. This can occupy your mind so you focus less on surgery.
Overall, the best thing you can do is to trust that your body will heal in the best way that it needs to. Understand that the Specialty Surgical Center surgeons are experts in their fields and routinely do the procedure you need. Trust is a very important part of the surgeon to patient relationship you need to feel secure and conquer your anxiety.
Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey and our staff consists of board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists performing procedures in Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spinal Care, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management, ENT, Hand Surgery, Lithotripsy, Brachytherapy, GYN and Laser Surgery.
For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.