Feeling Anxious Before Surgery? Try Scrolling through Tik Tok
Written by Natalie Madrigal
Edited by Christine Yee
February 9th, 2023
Edited by Christine Yee
February 9th, 2023
Research
When you hear ‘Tik Tok’ what comes to mind? If you’ve been on the internet long enough, you’re probably thinking about viral dancing trends or whipped coffee. And while the debate surges on as to whether it qualifies as a genuine form of entertainment or simply another waste of time, researchers in China believe that Tik Tok has found its place in the operating room.
Presurgical or preoperative anxiety can be described as an uncomfortable, lingering mood that occurs before a major or minor operation. In fact, approximately 60% of patients experience a significant degree of anxiety especially those between the ages of 18-45. This is no simple case of the jitters either; research shows that preoperative anxiety can lead to other troubling results such as an increased risk of pain and infection - even long after the procedure is over.
While there are multiple methods proposed to combat preoperative anxiety, researchers from the Department of Anesthesiology of The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine decided to investigate how browsing through Tik Tok would hold up in the operating room. Through a randomized controlled trial, eighty patients were divided into two groups - one that was instructed to scroll through Tik Tok for twenty minutes prior to the surgical procedure, and one that did not. Before the control was enacted, vitals such as heart rate, blood pressure, and overall anxiety were measured. After the procedure, they were measured again.
When comparing anxiety scores of both groups before and after surgery, it was found that those in the experimental group had lower blood pressure, anxiety levels, and heart rate. Other factors such as patient satisfaction post-procedure were also found to be much higher as well. Turns out Tik Tok might not be such a waste of time after all - it might truly be able to help you relax.
Presurgical or preoperative anxiety can be described as an uncomfortable, lingering mood that occurs before a major or minor operation. In fact, approximately 60% of patients experience a significant degree of anxiety especially those between the ages of 18-45. This is no simple case of the jitters either; research shows that preoperative anxiety can lead to other troubling results such as an increased risk of pain and infection - even long after the procedure is over.
While there are multiple methods proposed to combat preoperative anxiety, researchers from the Department of Anesthesiology of The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine decided to investigate how browsing through Tik Tok would hold up in the operating room. Through a randomized controlled trial, eighty patients were divided into two groups - one that was instructed to scroll through Tik Tok for twenty minutes prior to the surgical procedure, and one that did not. Before the control was enacted, vitals such as heart rate, blood pressure, and overall anxiety were measured. After the procedure, they were measured again.
When comparing anxiety scores of both groups before and after surgery, it was found that those in the experimental group had lower blood pressure, anxiety levels, and heart rate. Other factors such as patient satisfaction post-procedure were also found to be much higher as well. Turns out Tik Tok might not be such a waste of time after all - it might truly be able to help you relax.
Image Source: “mohamed_hassan” licensed under Pixabay License