Cardiovascular Surgery Healing Enhancement Program

Types

The Cardiovascular Surgery Healing Enhancement Program is available to anyone having heart surgery at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. You're encouraged to discuss complementary therapy with your doctor to determine which therapies may help you.

You may contact your nurse or other member of your medical team if you're interested in complementary therapies. Also, you may request a referral from your doctor for outpatient care during your recovery after you leave the hospital.

Options include:

• Massage therapy. In a massage, a certified massage therapist kneads, strokes and manipulates your body's soft tissue to help relieve muscle tension and stress and promote relaxation. Studies have found that massage helps reduce feelings of pain and anxiety. Massage can be particularly beneficial if you have rib or back pain after open heart surgery. Your massage therapist works with your medical team to avoid injuring you.
• Music therapy. Music therapy may promote relaxation and reduce anxiety, which may decrease pain, improve your mood and promote better sleep. The Cardiovascular Surgery Healing Enhancement Program and Saint Marys Hospital Auxiliary provides music systems in each room in the cardiovascular surgery unit. You'll have a variety of CD music available to you in each cardiovascular surgery unit and in the patient libraries. You're also welcome to bring your own music.
• Patient education. The Healing Enhancement Program offers classes on stress management and relaxation techniques, healing movement (including yoga and tai chi), nutrition for healing enhancement and other wellness topics. Some classes meet on the cardiovascular surgical unit and others meet in the Patient Education Center.
• Religious and spiritual support. Mayo Clinic provides religious and spiritual support through chaplain services for many religious denominations. You or your family members may request chaplain services by contacting a member of your medical team. Mayo Clinic has several chapels and other spiritual spaces available.
• Relaxation therapies. Relaxation therapies and stress management may reduce your physical and emotional stress related to your surgery and speed wound healing. Available therapies include:
• Deep breathing. In deep breathing, you inhale and exhale slowly.
• Guided imagery (visualization). In guided imagery, you focus on positive thoughts or memories. Guided imagery may help you to distance your mind from pain and anxieties.
• Meditation. In meditation, you focus your mind. You use techniques such as focusing your attention on an object or your breathing to help you think about something other than pain.
• Progressive muscle relaxation. In progressive relaxation, you tense and release groups of muscles in your body.
• Stress management. The Healing Enhancement Program offers classes for you and your family to learn stress management and relaxation techniques. You may also request an appointment with a stress management coach.

• Sleep enhancement therapies. If you have trouble sleeping in the hospital, your nurse can provide you with eye masks, earplugs, music, guided imagery CDs, sleep medications and massage to help you sleep.
• Support groups or volunteer visitors. It may help you to talk with others who have had heart surgery and similar experiences. You may discuss support groups or visitors with your nurse.
• Other therapies. Other therapies include:
• Acupressure. In acupressure, wristbands that press on certain points in your wrists may help relieve nausea.
• Acupuncture. In acupuncture, a trained specialist inserts fine needles in the skin at key points in various combinations to relieve pain and nausea and promote healing.
• Aromatherapy. In aromatherapy, a medical specialist uses fragrant oils from various plants and flowers to help promote your healing.

Read more about massage, meditation, stress management, acupuncture, tai chi, yoga and other relaxation techniques at MayoClinic.com.