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Guided imagery is a practice that uses directed thoughts and visualizations to improve relaxation, improve problem solving, and enhance healing.
Guided imagery intends to help people feel in control of their situation, resulting in improved emotions and attitudes. For example, cancer patients might envision the body's defense systems fighting and destroying cancer cells.
People use guided imagery for reducing stress and pain after surgery. It is also used for anxiety, osteoarthritis, diabetes, fibromyalgia, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Don't confuse guided imagery with relaxation therapy. These are sometimes used together but are not the same.
- Postoperative pain. Guided imagery may moderately reduce postoperative pain, but it is unclear which guided imagery protocol may be most beneficial.
Login for details - Stress. Guided imagery, alone or in combination with relaxation training, may reduce the stress of patients in stressful medical situations.
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- Abdominal pain. It is unclear if guided imagery is beneficial in children with abdominal pain.
Login for details - Anxiety. It is unclear if guided imagery is beneficial for reducing anxiety in hospitalized patients.
Login for details - Bulimia nervosa. Login for details
- Cancer-related pain. It is unclear if guided imagery is beneficial in patients with cancer-related pain.
Login for details - Chemotherapy-related fatigue. It is unclear if guided imagery is beneficial in patients with chemotherapy-related fatigue.
Login for details - Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). Guided imagery has only been evaluated in combination with other modalities; its effect when used alone is unclear.
Login for details - Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Login for details
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is unclear if guided imagery is beneficial in patients with COPD.
Login for details - Cocaine dependence. It is unclear if guided imagery is beneficial in patients with cocaine dependence.
Login for details - Depression. Login for details
- Diabetes. Guided imagery has only been evaluated in combination with other modalities; its effect when used alone is unclear.
Login for details - Fatigue. Login for details
- Fibromyalgia. It is unclear if guided imagery is beneficial in patients with fibromyalgia; the available research is conflicting.
Login for details - Headache. Login for details
- Hypertension. Login for details
- Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). It is unclear if guided imagery is beneficial in patients undergoing a HSCT.
Login for details - Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Guided imagery has only been evaluated in combination with other modalities; its effect when used alone is unclear.
Login for details - Insomnia. Login for details
- Juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Login for details
- Kidney failure. It is unclear if guided imagery can improve psychological well-being in adults receiving hemodialysis.
Login for details - Labor pain. It is unclear if guided imagery is beneficial in patients with labor pain.
Login for details - Migraine headache. Login for details
- Neuropathic pain. Guided imagery has only been evaluated in combination with other modalities; its effect when used alone is unclear.
Login for details - Obesity. It is unclear if guided imagery is beneficial in patients with obesity.
Login for details - Osteoarthritis. Guided imagery has only been evaluated in combination with other modalities; its effect when used alone is unclear.
Login for details - Pain (acute). It is unclear if guided imagery is beneficial for reducing acute pain in hospitalized patients.
Login for details - Pain (chronic). It is unclear if guided imagery is beneficial for reducing chronic pain in hospitalized patients.
Login for details - Parturition. It is unclear if guided imagery is beneficial for reducing the duration of labor.
Login for details - Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Guided imagery has only been evaluated in combination with other modalities; its effect when used alone is unclear.
Login for details - Postoperative ileus. It is unclear if guided imagery is beneficial in patients with postoperative ileus.
Login for details - Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). It is unclear if guided imagery is beneficial in patients with PONV.
Login for details - Postoperative recovery. It is unclear if guided imagery can improve postoperative recovery.
Login for details - Postoperative sleep disturbance. Small clinical studies suggest that guided imagery may improve sleep quality after surgery.
Login for details - Postpartum depression. Login for details
- Pre-procedural anxiety. It is unclear if guided imagery is beneficial for reducing preoperative or pre-procedural anxiety in adults and children.
Login for details - Pregnancy-induced hypertension. It is unclear if guided imagery is beneficial in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension.
Login for details - Quality of life. It is unclear if guided imagery can improve quality of life in patients with various medical conditions; the available research is conflicting.
Login for details - Sexual dysfunction. Login for details
- Smoking cessation. It is unclear if guided imagery is beneficial for smoking cessation.
Login for details - Substance use disorder. Login for details
- Tension headache. It is unclear if guided imagery is beneficial in patients with tension headache.
Login for details - Upper respiratory tract infection (URTI). Login for details
Guided imagery is likely safe. There are no known safety concerns.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if guided imagery is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. But there's no known reason to expect safety concerns.It is not known if this treatment interacts with any medicines. Before using this treatment, talk with your health professional if you take any medications.
There are no known interactions with herbs and supplements.
There are no known interactions with foods.
Guided imagery is the use of guided or directed thoughts and visualizations to deepen relaxation and to visualize solutions to problems or disease fighting processes. It's often used with other techniques such as relaxation therapy to help reduce stress in stressful situations. The visualization process can be guided by an instructor or by pre-recorded tapes. Talk to your physician or other healthcare professional to learn more about how guided imagery is used for specific conditions.
Guided Health Imagery, Guided Visualization, Imagerie Guidée, Imagery, Imaginación Guiada, Visualisation, Visualisation Guidée, Visualization, Visualization Therapy, VT.
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