and how soon you’ll be back to your usual routine go. Do this for five min-
can rebuild that feeling of control, he adds. O’Mahony utes at least twice a day,
recommends asking your physician, hospitalist or suggests Lazar. You can
pain management specialist the following specific incorporate deep breath-
questions: What is the goal of my treatment?; what ing, too, says Lubna Som-
pain meds and other drugs am I on, in which forms jee, Ph.D., a psychologist
am I receiving them (IV, pill, etc.), what are the in New York’s Hudson
dosages, and how long will these drugs and other Valley. “Breathe in for
treatments take to work?; if this treatment plan three seconds, and if
doesn’t work, what’s the next option?; what’s my role you’re able, hold the
in treatment?; and how can I improve my health? breath for at least one
second before you exhale
don’t let stress get the best of you. fully for about four sec-
There’s no denying that the hospital is a difficult onds,” she advises. Re-
place to be. But it’s worth the effort to try to keep peat several times every
your anxiety in check while you’re here. In Chung’s one to two hours and
study on how people coped with pain, she found that before and after any pro-
those who felt anxious were more likely to have more cedure.
pain after surgery than any other group. Says Chung, Desai points out that
“we know that anxiety may cause changes in brain more hospitals are offer-
chemicals called neurotransmitters and it’s possible ing stress-relieving ther-
that many of the same neurotransmitters related to apies such as biofeed-
anxiety, such as serotonin and norepinephrine, also back and meditation
play a role in regulating pain.” training, often at no ex-
So how do you put a lid on tension? For starters, tra cost, and adds that
if you feel like you’ve just been given bad news about “spiritual services are an
a test or treatment, don’t assume the worst. Instead, under-utilized hospital
ask for specifics, advises Peter Abaci, M.D., medical resource. Even if you’re
director and co-founder of the Bay Area Pain & Well- not particularly religious, attending a service or speak- learning about your
ness Center, in Los Gatos, California. For example, ing with a clergy member may bring you some peace,” condition can help you
if your doctor says, “The swelling hasn’t gone down he says. In fact, a recent survey from Stanford Uni- feel more in control.
as much as I’d like,” don’t automatically assume you’re versity found that more than half of Americans have
not getting better. Instead, ask what it means for tried prayer as a form of pain control.
your prognosis (the likely outcome of your condi-
tion); how, if at all, it changes your physician’s goals do go home with a pain management
for your recovery or your treatment plan; and what plan. Life after a hospital stay can feel like a big
you can do to help healing. question mark. To ease your fears, ask your primary
Numerous studies have shown that even gentle specialist (for example, your surgeon or neurologist)
exercise has a stress-relieving effect, so if you’re able and your pain management specialist to work with
to stretch or take a walk—even just up and down the you to create an at-home pain plan and review it with
hospital halls—do so. But if you can’t, don’t worry; you before you’re discharged. (This may be part of
there are plenty of relaxation exercises you can do your discharge plan already.) “In addition to medi-
right from your bed. “Visualization—in which you cines you’ll be taking, including the dosage, form
use mental images in order to relax—is a tried-and- and duration of medication, you’ll want to find out
true stress reliever and the more you do it the more how soon you should expect to get back to your nor-
effective it will be,” says Karen Lazar, Ph.D., a psy- mal routine and which medical professionals you
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choanalyst in New Jersey. Here’s how to try visualiza- should reach out to if you have additional health
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tion right now: Sit or lie back with your eyes closed. problems or find that your pain isn’t under control,”
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Picture yourself in a place where you feel good—for says pain specialist Peter Abaci. “Going home can
p
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example, lying on the beach in warm sand. Imagine be scary, but I tell all of my patients, ‘Remember:
/
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s
/
m
g o
how you feel while you’re there, perhaps feeling the You are your best healing tool. Make your health a
a c
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m s
.
sun warming every part of your body; focus on the priority and you will reap the rewards.’” tp
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positive sensations that come up. Every time you camille noe pagán is a New York City-based journalist

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© © have a negative thought, acknowledge it, but let it specializing in health and psychology.
the patient magazine 2010 29
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