Feeling “scanxiety”? Here’s how to cope

Alana Yanagida, LCSW, is a behavioral health therapist at the Inova Saville Cancer Screening and Prevention Center. The center’s behavioral health team provides counseling and guidance related to cancer screening and prevention.

What is scanxiety?

Scanxiety is emotional distress – fear, anxiety and worry – related to medical scans, imaging and tests. Although the term is most commonly used in connection with cancer scans, people can feel scanxiety with any kind of medical imaging or testing, from MRIs, X-rays, CT and PET scans to blood draws, biopsies and other tests.

Some people experience scanxiety before a scan happens – the morning of the test, for example – while others experience it after the scan is finished but before the results arrive. Others experience scanxiety before, during and after the test. Scanxiety can happen with routine medical tests, diagnostic workups when a person is having symptoms or follow-up scans after a person has been through treatment.

The most important thing to remember about scanxiety is that it’s a natural reaction and very common feeling. In fact, in some ways it’s a logical response to confronting the unknown or preparing for a potentially unpleasant experience. But it’s important to remember that medical testing is an important step in your long-term health journey. These scans and tests can help your healthcare team find the cause of your symptoms or find out whether a problem is recurring. In these cases, knowledge really is power.

Why does it happen?

Reasons for scanxiety vary from person to person and test to test, but there are a few common reasons:

• The test results could be life changing: They could lead to a diagnosis, which can be scary to consider
• In the case of follow-up monitoring, the scans could reveal that a disease (cancer, for example) has come back
• The test itself may cause discomfort – MRIs, for instance, can be difficult for people who experience claustrophobia

What scanxiety looks and feels like

Depending on the individual and the circumstances, scanxiety can have a range of emotional, physical and mental signs and symptoms.

Emotional signs:

• Nervousness, worry or a feeling of dread
• Mood swings – increased irritability
• Less interest in things you generally enjoy

Physical signs:

• Inability to sit still – pacing back and forth
• Sweating or feeling flushed – sweaty palms, for example
• Increased heart rate
• Decreased appetite
• Muscle tension
• Trouble sleeping

Psychological signs:

• Difficulty concentrating or relaxing
• Recurring thoughts of worry, fear and sadness

Tips to manage scanxiety

Fortunately, there are things you can do to manage these feelings, so you can minimize their potential to disrupt your life at home, at work, with your family and in your community. Practical tips include:

• Schedule your scan early in the day
• Write down any questions beforehand
• Confirm how and when you will receive the results
• Bring a family member or friend with you
• Incorporate relaxation exercises and activities when you start feeling fearful or worried (see below)
• Tell the radiologist if you need to stop during the scan
• Contact your medical team if results are taking longer than expected to come in

Some relaxation exercises and activities to try

Before, during and after the test:

• Take slow deep breaths, focusing on your breathing as you do
• Try “box breathing” – trace the sides of a square with each inhale and exhale (e.g., inhale for a count of four, hold for four, exhale for four and hold for four)
• Use progressive muscle relaxation – tighten and release each muscle group, starting with your toes and going all the way up to your head
• Engage in positive imagery visualization – think of a calming place (lake, hiking trail, cozy couch) and describe it in detail
• Listen to music

In the days leading up to the test or while waiting for results:

• Watch a favorite television show
• Write in a journal about your feelings
• Drink warm tea or hot chocolate
• Take a warm bath or shower

When scanxiety happens, talk with your healthcare provider

Since scanxiety is such a common experience, healthcare providers have a lot of tools at their disposal to help ease distress. For example:

• Your technologist may be able to play music through your headphones during an MRI to help you relax
• Depending on the specific test, your provider can use techniques like comfort positioning, ice packs, heated blankets, aromatherapy or other approaches to reduce fear and discomfort
• Your provider may be able to offer you medication to help you relax during the test

But the healthcare team can’t help if they don’t know how you feel. That’s why talking with your provider is so important. Your provider can help.

About the Inova Saville Cancer Screening and Prevention Center

At the Inova Saville Cancer Screening and Prevention Center, our team specializes in cancer prevention and early detection. We assess your risk of developing cancer, and we also work with you to develop a proactive plan to reduce that risk, including one-on-one support with a behavioral health therapist or dietitian, as well as many classes and wellness groups. Learn more.