Receiving injections-also called injections-is an inevitable part of a healthy lifestyle. Many medications, blood draws, and vaccines require injections. The fear of needles and the pain they cause is a source of anxiety for many things. Taking certain steps can reduce pain during the injection.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Preparing for the Injection
Step 1. Find out the part to be injected
Preparation for injections depends on the part of the body to be injected. Many common injections, like most vaccinations, are given in the arm, while certain antibiotics can be given in the back or buttocks. Ask your doctor or nurse beforehand about the area of the body to be injected and treat the area as needed.
Step 2. Wipe the skin and press the area around the injection site
Once you know where to inject, rub the skin and press around where the needle will enter. This will prepare your body for pressure from the needle in that area, and the shock of the puncture won't be as big in the doctor's office. Do this briefly before leaving to see your doctor, in the car, or while on the bus.
Step 3. Start preparing in the waiting room
While in the waiting room, certain activities can help you prepare for your injection and distract from any possible pain.
- Squeeze the "stress ball". This will relax the muscles and prepare them for the injection.
- Listen to music, podcasts, or books on cassette. While your doctor may not allow you to put on headphones while you're in the room, listening to music beforehand can be a distraction so you don't have to worry too much about going into the room.
- Read magazines or books. If you find it easier to relax by reading than by listening, a good story or article that can distract you can also help while waiting for your doctor.
Part 2 of 3: Receiving Injections
Step 1. Focus your attention elsewhere
Sometimes, anticipation and awareness can make the pain worse. focus your attention elsewhere while the injection is being injected to lessen the pain.
- Pretend you're somewhere else. Imagine you are on vacation basking in the sun or buying a cup of coffee with your friends. Have fun scenarios in mind before entering the room, and let your imagination run wild.
- Focus on the rest of the body. Imagine the injection will be given to another part of the body. This way, you will anticipate pain elsewhere and will distract you from the actual injection.
- Read poetry or song lyrics. If something has stuck in your mind, now is a good time to say it. Your energy and focus will be placed on remembering certain verses and words and not on the present.
- If your doctor or nurse happens to like to chat, having a conversation with them before or during an injection can provide the needed diversion. The topic of conversation is not important; just hearing him talk can distract you.
Step 2. Don't look at the needle
Our expectation of pain can make that feeling stronger. Recent scientific research has shown empirical evidence that not looking at the needle during an injection will make it less painful. Do not look at the needle while receiving the injection. Close your eyes or look the other way.
Step 3. Hold your breath
Hold your breath for a few seconds before the injection and while being given the injection. This will increase blood pressure, which will decrease the sensitivity of the nervous system. Although the pain relief is minimal, when accompanied by other techniques, holding your breath can help reduce the pain.
Step 4. Normalize the fear
The stigma and anxiety of a fear of needles, injections, and pain can make you place an unbalanced focus on injections. In fact, fear of needles is very normal. Knowing that you are not alone, and that fear is normal, can help you feel calm during the injection process.
Step 5. Don't tighten your muscles
Tightening muscles can cause more pain, especially with intramuscular injections, so be sure to keep the muscles relaxed. It's normal to feel tense when you're afraid, so certain techniques can help.
- Breathing exercises, such as taking a deep breath, holding it for 10 seconds, then exhaling it are helpful if done just before the injection.
- Think of the phrase, "I'm going to have an injection," instead of, "It won't hurt," the first will help you accept the inevitable, which will keep your body calm and less tense in the face of fear.
Step 6. Talk to the nurse about your fears
Discuss any fears you have about injections with the nurse before taking them. Medical professionals will be happy to help patients in need.
- The nurse can give you a local anesthetic cream, which will be placed on your arm to immobilize it and make the injection less painful. Ask before your scheduled injection because the cream can take up to an hour to work.
- Nurses are also good at distracting patients and helping them feel calm. If you've mentioned your fear beforehand, he or she may be able to help calm you down with relaxation techniques.
Part 3 of 3: Caring for the After-Injected Part
Step 1. Place a warm washcloth on the injection site
The injection site is sometimes bothersome to the patient the next day, or even hours after. If this happens to you, run warm water on a washcloth and place it on the injection site. This will relieve the pain and provide some temporary relief.
Step 2. Massage or rub the area
This will help spread the medicine and relax the muscles.
There are two exceptions to this rule. Heparin and Lovenox injections should not be massaged after as this can cause ongoing pain and bruising
Step 3. Take ibuprofen or acetaminophen
A lot of pain after the injection is due to inflammation. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications can relieve pain, swelling, and other discomfort.
Step 4. Move the part of the body that received the injection
Even if you feel like taking things slowly and resting, this can sometimes be counterproductive to pain relief. Staying moving, especially if the injection is in your arm, can improve blood circulation and help you get back to your normal quickly.
Tips
- Don't think too much about the injection beforehand. In the days leading up to your scheduled injection, try to keep yourself busy to distract yourself from worrying. If you enter the room with the fear of getting an injection, you are more likely to tighten your muscles and cause uncontrollable pain.
- Try to feel calm before getting the injection. Take deep breaths in the waiting room, listen to music, or squeeze a stress ball.
- If you are receiving an injection in the arm, try shaking or moving your arm before the injection to relax the muscles.
- Hold your breath and ask the doctor/nurse to count down and then exhale when you're done.
- Hold someone's hand if you come with someone.
- Talk to someone (perhaps your mother or father) about injections. Now you're probably thinking, "How could this help," but if you do, you'll be much less likely to panic as you go along, and your parents and friends are the perfect people to calm you down.
- Try not to think too much about it; distract yourself and/or look the other way while you are receiving the injection.
Warning
- Don't talk about injections you've had before. This can cause you to feel so tense that you panic. However, some people may find it easier to think about the injection beforehand and that they forget about it after a day or even an hour, depending on the person, and that turns out to be no big deal!
- If pain at the injection site persists after more than 24 hours, or if you develop a fever, chills, or dizziness, call your doctor because you may have a reaction that requires medical attention.
