If you need imaging done on virtually any part of your body, most doctors would agree that the best way to get those images is to have an MRI. It’s true that you can get an X-ray instead. An X-ray can reveal a broken bone, but for you to get highly detailed images of soft tissues or organs, an MRI is better.
If you live in Southern Utah, MRI facilities are available that have attentive staff members and the latest technology. To go to one of them, though, you’ll need a referral from your doctor.
If a doctor gives you a referral to get an MRI, and you’ve never had one before, it’s possible that you might be nervous or even a little frightened. Maybe you’ve heard that such procedures are uncomfortable, particularly for individuals with claustrophobia.
Let’s take a moment to talk about some takeaways you should have in mind if you get a referral to have an MRI for the first time. The experience may not exactly be fun, but you should be able to get through it with no problems if you set your mind to it and demonstrate some fortitude.
There’s No Reason to Fear
First, you should know that there’s no reason to be afraid of the MRI procedure. It’s not the least bit painful, though some consider it to be a little invasive.
Before you go inside the tube, it can be helpful to learn as much as you can about MRIs. That way, there will not be anything to surprise you when the day of the event arrives.
You can watch videos of individuals having MRIs. By doing so, you’ll know what the machine looks like and the noises that it makes before you see one for the first time.
It can also be helpful to tell the attendant who’s helping you to take the MRI that you’re nervous or scared. They should be able to guide you through it. They have probably had plenty of other patients under their care who were less than enthusiastic about the process, and they can help to reassure you.
You Don’t Necessarily Have to Go to the Facility Your Doctor Recommended
There is something else you should be aware of when you get the referral from your doctor to go get an MRI. They may recommend that you go to a particular facility that is close to you or that they know has a sterling reputation. You can absolutely do that, but you can probably go to a different one if that’s your preference.
You may opt for a different facility to get the MRI than what your doctor told you depending on whether or not it is in your healthcare network. It’s best to think about this, unless money isn’t important to you.
If you go to a facility to get an MRI that is accepted by your healthcare network, then you’ll probably have to pay a copay, but hopefully, it won’t be too expensive. If the facility your doctor recommended is not in your network, though, you may not be able to get your insurance provider to pay for it, and then it can be several hundred dollars or more.
You May Not Have to Go All the Way Into the Tube
You should also understand that you don’t necessarily need to go all the way into the tube and experience the claustrophobia that some people find so invasive when they have an MRI. It depends on what part of the body the doctor is trying to get a better look at.
For instance, maybe you are getting an MRI because you took a spill on the basketball court while playing with your friends, and you injured your knee. The doctor wants a good look at the cartilage, so they recommend an MRI.
You will probably only need to go into the tube partway, and most of the top half of your body can remain outside of it. This way, you can get the imaging of your knee while not needing to be completely inside the tube.
You Can Get Someone to Come with You
If you are having a very tough time dealing with the thought of undertaking this procedure on your own, you should also know that in almost all instances, a medical facility will allow someone to come to your appointment with you. The MRI process might take half an hour or 45 minutes. However, that time can feel a lot longer if you are on your own.
If you’ve never had an MRI before, and you don’t know how you’re going to react to it, you may request that a family member come along. Nobody likes going through medical procedures by themselves. While they can’t go into the tube with you, they can be somewhere close by, and the thought that they’re there supporting you might be helpful.
There Are Ways to Distract Yourself While the Procedure is Taking Place
There’s one additional thing that you should know if your doctor has given you a referral to get an MRI. You can distract yourself in various ways while you’re going through it if you feel like you’re not going to react well while you’re in the tube.
Assuming you have to go all the way into the tube, there’s nothing to do in there. The boredom can get to you just as much as the loud clanging noises that accompany this procedure.
To escape from that a bit, most medical facilities that give patients MRIs will offer you a pair of headphones or earbuds. They might ask you what kind of music you would like to listen to while you’re passing the time. They will usually have satellite radio, so you can ask for rap, country, classic rock, or whatever else you’re into.
Most people don’t consider MRIs to be much fun, but they’re painless, and after you’ve gone through it once or twice, you should be much less nervous.
