Tomophobia is a fear of surgery. It doesn’t matter whether you are going under the knife to have minor or major surgery it can still be a stressful time. However, you may hear the complicated medical terms and a list of things to do both pre-op and post-op, going under the knife isn’t all that bad.

Are you a bit confused where to start or what to do? Follow these few tips that will aid in lowering your stress levels before visiting any specialists for surgery.

Trusting your doctor:

Being uncertain seems to be a big culprit in creating more fear when there is no need. By seeing a doctor you trust, you can lower your stress levels significantly. Making sure you do research on your specific specialist before hand is key. If you are seeking breast augmentation, use the internet and find forums where people detail experiences they have had with a certain breast surgeon, always look for testimonials.  If you have been seeing the same doctor for a long time, then it is safe to say you trust their medical advice. If you have only been seeing your doctor a short time, there will not be any trust nor a relationship, built as of yet. You can gain trust by checking out how long they have been practising for, have a few appointments with the doctor before talking about your problems to get to know them on a personal level first, talk to your doctor about the experience he may have with your diagnosis.

Think positive

Instead of thinking about the huge list of complications and risks your doctor gave you think about the outcome. Are you having surgery to fix a health problem? This means you may be pain-free and able to move better. Are you having surgery to enhance your image of yourself? Think about the confidence you will have. Steer clear of negative conversations about the operation or enhancement.

Look after yourself

When you are in pain or upset about your image the worst thing to do is to be stressing over the surgery and the negatives. Stress can worsen the illness and creating more problems like headaches, loss of appetite, hot and cold flushes, vomiting etc. You need to focus on your healing and eating healthy, so you have the strength to recover from the operation faster. If you feel you are stressed or worried, try some calm activities like reading a book or meditating. If it is a major cosmetic surgery, you can always look into medical equipment rental to help better adjust your home for your situation.

Be aware of everything from start to end

If you educate yourself about the problem you have and how the procedure works can help to lower stress levels once you know what it is and understand what happens during the operation. Avoid reading online as the internet is full of false information and the surgical stories are often not as bad as they were made out. Your doctor is a good source of information also talking to your surgeon about the procedure can get rid of the stressful unknown factor, make sure you also ask the doctor for tips on injury prevention after an operation.

Going under anaesthetic

When you head into the theatre room, you will be out to sleep and this will take about 15 seconds. You receive an injection into your drip line then you count backwards from ten, and you are sound asleep. You won’t feel any pain or be awake during the operation. Be aware that when you wake up, you will feel some pain, but most often you are given pain relieving tablets to control the pain level and some other remedies that may help your recovery.

Preparing for surgery

Be sure to understand all the other options have been looked at before surgery and seek another opinion if you need some reassurance this is the best option. Make sure your doctor has explained the procedure to you in a manner you completely understand. If you have pre-surgery tasks be sure to follow them such as most operations say you cannot eat beforehand. If you don’t follow instructions like this they may postpone your surgery. Have someone stay with you for a few days after surgery to make sure everything is okay they can also help support you if you have a case of the mild blues after the operation.

Going under the knife isn’t bad as it will better your life, leaving you feeling pain-free, or your self-image more enhanced for a new life of confidence. Dealing with the anxiety around having a cosmetic procedure completed on you seems like a largely strenuous task, however, it is something that can be managed and that you should really consider before undergoing surgery.