Medical lab tests can provide helpful insights into various health conditions. However, it takes time for the results to be processed, and many people find it stressful to wait. Here are some tips that health services providers can share with patients to make the process a bit more comfortable. 

3 Stress Relief Tips for Patients Waiting on Test Results

1. Get Your Worries Out

Being diagnosed with a medical condition can bring about legitimate fear and anxiety, so pushing it completely away is unlikely to work. Instead of constantly trying to distract yourself, set aside time to either talk to a friend or therapist about it, or write your feelings in a journal. This provides an outlet for your nervous energy and may help you organize your thoughts about the situation. 

2. Think About Practical Steps to Take

Part of the reason why medical tests feel so stressful is because you cannot control the outcome. However, there are usually steps you can take to mitigate symptoms or cure certain conditions if the results are not what you want to hear. Making a plan for how to tackle a worst-case scenario may help you feel more in control and prepare you for whatever the results turn out to be. 

3. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness involves noticing your thoughts as they come and deciding whether to give them any power. For example, if you’re constantly spiraling about improbable worst-case scenarios, it may be helpful to simply acknowledge those thoughts and then let them go, focusing on something more productive. Meditation or breathwork, where you focus on a guide or your breath and constantly bring your attention back to those anchors whenever your brain wanders, may help with this.

If you’re a medical services provider looking for a laboratory for reliable test results, contact Summit Pathology in Loveland, CO. The team of board-certified pathologists provides reliable testing for everything from general surgery to microbiology. They serve medical services providers and their patients throughout Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska. Visit the website for a full list of services, or call (970) 212-0530 to speak with a team member.