It is very important to understand that you are not at all alone in feeling nervous about an MRI scan.
If you speak to staff at an MRI centre, they will tell you that every day they come across people who are nervous about having an MRI scan. You are certainly not the only one!
It’s not surprising that people are somewhat anxious about MRI scanners, as they have a “tunnel” and also make strange sounds. Despite this, many people overcome their anxieties and go on to have successful MRI scans. With this free website and some participation from you, I am confident that you too will be able to overcome your negative feelings towards the MRI scanner and get that scan that you need to have.
One of the best things you can do to prepare for an MRI scan is to take action to do something about your anxiety about the scan. And you are doing that right now! The fact that you are visiting this website itself means that you are taking steps to solve your situation, rather than just passively worrying about it.
You should never be ashamed to say you’re nervous about having an MRI scan, as I said, it’s quite common. People have all sorts of fears, for example, spiders, snakes (even if non-poisonous), heights, clowns, and even dogs. Fear of MRI scans is just another type of fear.
Many fears are often based on illogical thoughts. Deep inside, people know that MRI scans are safe, as otherwise, medical science would not use them. However, the tunnel of MRI scanners triggers an irrational fear in many that “something unpleasant will happen”. The fear is not based on reality, but rather, just based on one’s imagination.
In the next section, I will explain to you how MRI scanners are safe and then in later sections, give you suggestions as to how you can overcome your fear of them.
