What if I'm claustrophobic during an MRI?
Last updated September 3, 2026.
Say so before the scan - every MRI center has a playbook for claustrophobia. MedlinePlus names the main options: a calming medication, or an open MRI where the machine sits farther from your body. Add the standard toolkit - a mirror to see out of the tunnel, headphones, a squeeze ball, and the intercom - and plenty of claustrophobic patients complete their scans. Mid-scan panic is also survivable: squeeze the call ball and the scan stops.
What to do
- Flag it at booking. Sedation and open-MRI slots need scheduling, not day-of improvisation.
- Ask about open MRI. The machine design alone solves it for many people.
- Use the sensory tricks. Mirror, music, and eyes closed with a washcloth over them all shrink the tunnel.
- Know you hold the stop button. The squeeze ball ends the scan on your word - you are never trapped.
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