Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

It’s OK to laugh after a procedure

Susan D. Klugman, MD
Conditions
March 31, 2014
Share
Tweet
Share

She asked me, “Is it OK to laugh?”

My patient Linda, who was only 12 weeks pregnant, had just had a chorionic villus sampling, or CVS. During this procedure, a small piece of placenta (chorionic villi) is removed via a long, thin needle inserted into the woman’s uterus, and then the sample is sent to a laboratory for genetic analysis. My patient fell into the category of advanced maternal age, and she desired invasive prenatal testing because her age put her at a higher risk for having a baby with a chromosome defect. Clearly she was nervous prior to the procedure, and was relieved when it was completed.

This procedure carries about a one in 500 risk of a miscarriage. Her risk of having a baby with a chromosome defect was about one in 100. We discussed different options, and she chose the invasive CVS test instead of amniocentesis because CVS is done at the end of the first trimester, whereas amniocentesis is done after 16 weeks’ gestation.

She entered the procedure room and asked if her husband could stay in the room.

Many doctors do not allow the partners into the procedure room to observe, but we feel the partner often comforts the patient. So Linda and her husband watched the entire procedure, which took a few minutes, on the flat-screen TV, and then listened to the list of postprocedure instructions. We tell patients to try to relax for 24 to 48 hours after the procedure, and that certain symptoms are normal. And that’s when Linda asked if it was OK to laugh.

I was struck by her question. Many might think, why is a woman who has just completed a serious medical procedure asking about laughing? I thought about Linda’s question and I responded, “Of course it’s OK to laugh. Why do you ask?” Linda then told me her husband is very funny and makes her laugh all the time. She didn’t know how she would handle it if she were not allowed to laugh after the procedure.

Does laughter heal?

Many of us have heard the saying, “Laughter is the best medicine.” Is it true? Cancer treatment centers have humor therapy sessions. And pediatric units often have clown therapy. There are those who believe the source for this saying is the Bible (Proverbs 17:22), which has the following: “A joyful heart makes for good health. But a broken spirit dries up the bones.” Laughter is said to reduce stress, lower blood pressure and promote relaxation. It is likely because of the release of endorphins, proteins that are produced in the brain and when released give an “opiate-like” feeling of well-being.

I know Linda was smiling 10 days later when she learned that the chromosome analysis on her fetus was normal. I have been doing procedures for more than 25 years and this was the first time I have been asked about laughing after a procedure. Linda and her husband seem to have a great marriage and I am sure they will be great parents; I hope they will keep laughing!

Susan D. Klugman is an associate professor of clinical obstetrics & gynecology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY. She blogs at The Doctor’s Tablet.

Prev

The dreadful cost of denying how you really feel

March 31, 2014 Kevin 12
…
Next

One example where the EMR can really make a difference in outcomes

March 31, 2014 Kevin 4
…

Tagged as: OB/GYN

Post navigation

< Previous Post
The dreadful cost of denying how you really feel
Next Post >
One example where the EMR can really make a difference in outcomes

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Susan D. Klugman, MD

  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    Being a doctor sometimes extends far beyond our own patients

    Susan D. Klugman, MD

Related Posts

  • Are Medicare procedure payments in jeopardy?

    Ronald Hirsch, MD
  • Qualifying conditions for medical marijuana

    Patricia Frye
  • Settlements in the opioid cases need these non-negotiable conditions

    Rosanne Aulino, RN
  • What does Kelly Loeffler’s health plan do to coverage for preexisting conditions?

    Robert Laszewski
  • How COVID is exposing poor working conditions in the U.S.

    Irene Martinez, MD
  • School vaccine exemptions must be for medical conditions only

    Shetal Shah, MD

More in Conditions

  • What a childhood stroke taught me about the future of neurosurgery and the promise of vagus nerve stimulation

    William J. Bannon IV
  • Facing terminal cancer as a doctor and mother

    Kelly Curtin-Hallinan, DO
  • Why doctors must stop ignoring unintentional weight loss in patients with obesity

    Samantha Malley, FNP-C
  • Why hospitals are quietly capping top doctors’ pay

    Dennis Hursh, Esq
  • Why point-of-care ultrasound belongs in emergency department triage

    Resa E. Lewiss, MD and Courtney M. Smalley, MD
  • Why PSA levels alone shouldn’t define your prostate cancer risk

    Martina Ambardjieva, MD, PhD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • America’s ER crisis: Why the system is collapsing from within

      Kristen Cline, BSN, RN | Conditions
    • Why timing, not surgery, determines patient survival

      Michael Karch, MD | Conditions
    • How early meetings and after-hours events penalize physician-mothers

      Samira Jeimy, MD, PhD and Menaka Pai, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
    • Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR

      Laura Kohlhagen, MD, MBA | Tech
  • Recent Posts

    • Why the heart of medicine is more than science

      Ryan Nadelson, MD | Physician
    • How Ukrainian doctors kept diabetes care alive during the war

      Dr. Daryna Bahriy | Physician
    • Why Grok 4 could be the next leap for HIPAA-compliant clinical AI

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
    • How women physicians can go from burnout to thriving

      Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH | Physician
    • What a childhood stroke taught me about the future of neurosurgery and the promise of vagus nerve stimulation

      William J. Bannon IV | Conditions
    • Beyond burnout: Understanding the triangle of exhaustion [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 2 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • America’s ER crisis: Why the system is collapsing from within

      Kristen Cline, BSN, RN | Conditions
    • Why timing, not surgery, determines patient survival

      Michael Karch, MD | Conditions
    • How early meetings and after-hours events penalize physician-mothers

      Samira Jeimy, MD, PhD and Menaka Pai, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
    • Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR

      Laura Kohlhagen, MD, MBA | Tech
  • Recent Posts

    • Why the heart of medicine is more than science

      Ryan Nadelson, MD | Physician
    • How Ukrainian doctors kept diabetes care alive during the war

      Dr. Daryna Bahriy | Physician
    • Why Grok 4 could be the next leap for HIPAA-compliant clinical AI

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
    • How women physicians can go from burnout to thriving

      Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH | Physician
    • What a childhood stroke taught me about the future of neurosurgery and the promise of vagus nerve stimulation

      William J. Bannon IV | Conditions
    • Beyond burnout: Understanding the triangle of exhaustion [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

It’s OK to laugh after a procedure
2 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...