Understanding Medical Trauma: The Hidden Impact of Surgery
Is Surgery Considered Medical Trauma?
For many individuals, the smell of bleach, the site of a medical appointment on the calendar, an image of a doctor, or seeing a hospital can trigger severe anxiety and panic. These reactions often stem from what is known as medical trauma.
What is Medical Trauma?
Medical trauma refers to the psychological distress and emotional upheaval experienced by individuals who feel overwhelmed or out of control during medical procedures, treatments, surgeries, medical errors, negative interactions with healthcare providers, frightening diagnoses, or even routine care in physical or occupational therapy. Unfortunately, medical trauma is frequently misunderstood and goes undiagnosed.
Medical experiences can leave lasting emotional scars. Individuals may experience symptoms of PTSD, flashbacks, anxiety, shame, insomnia, nightmares, hypervigilance, substance abuse, intrusive thoughts, concentration difficulties, and excessive physical tension/bracing and pain.
Clients often come to me post-surgery, whether weeks or years later, showing signs of protective muscle bracing in the area where the surgery was performed. This bracing can result from:
1. Physical tension that persists from the time of going into surgery.
2. A frozen-like state from a subconscious fear of further harm or additional surgeries.
3. A “bodymind” unawareness that the surgery is over.
4. The bodymind “feeling” confused about how to integrate a changed body structure.
How to Reduce Post-Surgical Trauma
Using somatic techniques with clients and “dialoguing” with their affected body part often addresses their lingering, subconscious fears. This approach can reduce physical tension and pain, improve range of motion, decrease anxiety, and improve functioning in daily tasks.
A pivotal moment often involves clients repeating aloud, “The surgery is over.” This affirmation provides noticeable physical and emotional relief, reducing protective muscle bracing and anxiety.
Further post-surgery processing may include allowing the body to move in ways that were inhibited when lying on the surgery table, using imagery or physical movements to release emotions like fear, grief, anger that developed before, during, and after the procedure, and applying somatic techniques to reconnect the altered body part with the rest of the body.
The Pre- and Post-Surgery Healing Process
Preparation for surgery can significantly impact the healing process. Educating clients about the procedure and post-surgery expectations, using positive affirmations, having supportive individuals present can help.
Equally important is implementing a post-surgery healing process. Despite anesthesia, a part of the patient remains aware of the procedure. Consequently, emotional and physical processing of events is after surgery is crucial. Techniques such as those outlined earlier can aid in this process.
Clients who prepare for surgery using programs like Peggy Huddleston’s Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster often experience reduced anxiety, reduced physical bracing, and an easier transition from surgery to recovery. This is because the program emphasizes not only how clients want to feel going into surgery but also how they want to feel afterward, fostering a predisposition towards healing.
Medical trauma is a frequently overlooked aspect of patient care. It’s not always immediately visible, but recognizing that nearly any medical procedure regardless of its scale, can have deep psychological, physical, and physiological effects is crucial. Empowering individuals to feel a sense of agency and support, while also encouraging emotional processing before and after medical experiences, such as surgery, can greatly enhance their healing process.
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