131 - Dental Management of the Hyperactive Patient


This course will give you several methods of handling the hyperactive patient. The reason for the patient being hyperactive will vary, but most of them will fall into a few categories. This will include panic attacks, fear, lack of discipline, etc.

Panic Attack:

Many patients experience a mild form of a panic attack, but they manage to endure it and continue treatment. An (exceptional) few patients cannot deal with their emotions. They go into a panic attack upon entering the office, or when the needle is placed in their mouth.

Some of the classic symptoms of a panic attack are:

1.Racing heart

2.Fainting or Dizziness

3.Sweating

4.Feeling of unreality

5.Trembling

6.Fear of going crazy

7.Shortness of breath

8.Losing control

9.Feeling of choking

10.Fear of dying

11.Chest pain or discomfort

12.Numbness or tingling

13.Nausea or abdominal pain

14.Chills or hot flushes

When the patient is experiencing three or more of these symptoms, he is probably experiencing a panic attack.

Anecdote:

A young lady in her late twenties entered my office with pain in the upper right side of her jaw. Upon taking an X-ray, it was discovered a large decay had....