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Do you find trips to the doctor nerve-wracking? For some people, it's not a problem, but others find that visiting the doctor gets their heart pumping. There are a few reasons you might not like seeing doctors. Maybe you're not keen on sharing personal things with someone you don't know. Perhaps you're scared to find out that something is really wrong. Whatever your reasons for getting anxious about going to the doctor, you don't have to be scared forever. You can make doctor's appointments less stressful with a little preparation and the right techniques. Here's how to be ready for your next appointment.

Take Someone with You

Doing something that you don't like alone is often worse than doing it with someone else. When you have someone with you, they can give you support and make it seem less intimidating. Taking a friend or relative to a doctor's appointment might be helpful for you if you find it difficult to go alone. They can even come into your appointment with you if you want them to, or you can ask them to wait outside. It can also be helpful to have a second set of ears to help you understand and remember what the doctor says.

Prepare for Needles

Most of the time, a doctor's appointment will involve talking to the doctor and perhaps undergoing an examination. You hope that there won't be any pain most of the time, but there is one thing that guarantees at least a little bit of pain. If you need to have a vaccination or you need to have some blood drawn, even the thought of the needle can get you sweating. One option to prepare for this is to use a numbing cream or patch like Emla. Be sure to be aware of potential Emla side effects before using it. If fear is your problem, you can also find ways to address your fear of needles.

Don't Google Before Your Appointment

It's very tempting to look online to try and figure out what might be wrong with you. However, there are a few good reasons not to do this. For one thing, many symptoms can be linked to hundreds of different medical conditions. A sore leg could be anything from a pulled muscle to bone cancer. If you start googling, you could definitely be much more anxious than you need to be by the time you attend your doctor's appointment.

Build a Relationship with Your Doctor

It might take a while to do, but getting to know your doctor can help you to be more relaxed when you have an appointment. You'll know who you're seeing and you'll feel more comfortable talking to them about any medical problems that you might be having. When you see your doctor, you can treat them with respect as much as you expect them to treat you with respect. However, it's also important to remember that they are a person too, even if they're the one with the medical knowledge.

Doctor's visits don't have to be stressful. If you prepare for them in the right way, they're much easier to manage.