No one likes injections, but they are often necessary to maintain good health. Fortunately, dealing with pain after an injection is an easy and simple process. For general pain relief, move your body as soon as possible after the injection, take pain medication, and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. To treat swelling, prepare an ice pack or cold compress to reduce pain and swelling. If you want to reduce pain in children after injections, make sure they get enough rest and drink plenty of water. Consult a doctor before giving a pain reliever to a child. If your symptoms do not improve and get worse after receiving treatment, contact your doctor immediately.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Act Quickly after Injection
Step 1. Move the newly injected arm or leg as soon as possible
If you have had an injection in your arm or leg, wait until the doctor or nurse has finished covering it with gauze. Once done, slowly roll your arms up to the top of your head in a circular motion 9 to 10 times to get the blood flowing. If you have a leg injection, slowly swing your leg back and forth 9 to 10 times and lift your knees occasionally. Silence the newly injected limb will increase the chances of the emergence of soreness. So, move around a bit after the doctor or nurse has finished doing their job.
- You don't need to run a marathon or do any strenuous activity. Just a little body movement so that blood flow remains smooth for 30-45 seconds.
- If you had the injection on the side of the body or in the hip, stretch the area as much as possible so that the injection area does not swell. Stand up to make the process easier.
Step 2. Place an ice pack on the affected area to relax the muscles
After moving a little, place an ice pack on the injection site for 10 minutes to reduce muscle pain. Remove the ice pack and allow the skin to return to room temperature. After that, stick the ice pack again for 1-2 minutes. Repeat this process as many times as needed to reduce the pain.
Avoid using a bag filled with warm water to compress the injection site because it can't relieve pain like an ice pack. However, you can use it before the injection to increase the absorption of the skin
Step 3. Take pain medication to reduce the symptoms
After the injection, take 600 mg of acetaminophen if that is your pain reliever of choice. You can also take 400 mg ibuprofen to prevent swelling. Both drugs will reduce pain after the injection. Ask your doctor to find out the most suitable medication. If you have swelling, choose ibuprofen instead of acetaminophen.
- Do not take ibuprofen or acetaminophen more than the recommended daily dose.
- Acetaminophen is a pain reliever that is in the drug Tylenol.
Warning:
Do not take the above medicine on an empty stomach. You can experience liver damage and stomach upset if there is no food in your digestive system while taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
Step 4. Keep yourself hydrated and drink plenty of water after the injection
Drink 0.7 to 1.4 liters of water within 3 to 4 hours after the injection to ensure you stay hydrated. Maintaining fluid intake after the injection will ensure that you don't experience aches during the healing period.
Don't just drink a lot of water until you are bloated and feel nauseous. Drink as needed regularly after injections to hydrate the body
Method 2 of 3: Reducing Swelling after Injections
Step 1. Place an ice pack or cold towel on the injection area to reduce swelling
If you have had an injection and have swelling, reduce the temperature at the surface of the injection site. Apply an ice pack, cold compress, or towel soaked in cold water to the injection area. Leave the ice pack, towel, or compress on until the swelling goes away.
- Do not apply an ice pack to the injection area without covering the skin with a towel or thick washcloth first.
- The cold sensation can also reduce pain and tenderness at the injection site in addition to reducing swelling.
- You can make your own ice pack by filling a plastic bag with ice cubes.
- Heat can help relieve muscle aches, but cold can help reduce swelling. Heat usually doesn't help with that.
Step 2. Take 400 milligrams of ibuprofen to reduce swelling and pain
Take 2-3 pills of ibuprofen as soon as you start to feel any inflammation or swelling at the injection site. Unlike acetaminophen, ibuprofen is an anti-swelling pain reliever. This means, the drug can actually reduce swelling and inflammation. Make sure you have eaten something before taking the medicine to prevent stomach upset and organ damage.
You can take up to 1,200 milligrams of ibuprofen within 24 hours
Tip:
You can take acetaminophen with ibuprofen if necessary, but this won't reduce swelling or inflammation. In general, mixing acetaminophen and ibuprofen is safe to relieve excessive pain, but there are indications that it can be dangerous if done too often.
Step 3. Rest the injection site and don't overuse the muscles in the area
To avoid the appearance of pain in the swollen area, avoid using the muscles near the injection site for at least 4-6 hours. For example, if you are having an injection in the shoulder, do not use the upper biceps, shoulder, or pectoral muscles. Keep all nearby muscles relaxed for some time to prevent the inflammation from getting worse.
Even if you usually want to move after the injection, swelling and inflammation generally take longer to heal if you don't rest
Step 4. Call your doctor for a prescription for stronger anti-inflammatory drugs
Sometimes, stronger or specific anti-inflammatory drugs may be needed. If the swelling doesn't subside, you have a fever, or an itching sensation that doesn't go away, call your doctor as soon as possible to see if you need any special medication.
In general, you should consult your doctor if your symptoms get worse over time
Method 3 of 3: Reducing Pain in Children
Step 1. Divert the child's attention after the injection so that he is not afraid and feels less pain
Children may be fussy or overreact to pain during injections. So, do your best to shift his focus to something else. Let him play with his favorite toy, read him a book, or have him watch a video on his phone or tablet. When the injection is complete, offer your child a reward, such as a sticker or a piece of candy, to reward good behavior.
Make sure your child doesn't move much during the injection as this can make it difficult for the person giving the injection
Step 2. Give the child plenty of water to drink and do not bandage the injection area
The 2 easiest ways to reduce pain in a child after an injection is to give a lot of water and keep the injection area still. Give your child a glass of water after the injection and ask him to finish it. After that, for the next 2-3 hours make sure the child drinks 1 or 2 more glasses of water. Do not bandage the injected area or apply pressure.
Give your child 250 ml of water 1-3 times to keep him hydrated. Encourage your child to drink more if he wants to
Tip:
You can give juice in exchange for a glass of water. Other liquids can be used to keep your child hydrated as long as they are low in sugar and salt.
Step 3. Ask your doctor if you can give your child acetaminophen or ibuprofen
Children over 5 years of age can take acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain relief as long as there are no adverse reactions to other medicines they are taking. Consult the administration of both drugs to the doctor when he injects your child.
Do not give aspirin-based products if your child has a fever or flu-like symptoms. The drug is not made for children under 3 years of age under any circumstances
Step 4. Apply a cold washcloth to the swollen or inflamed area
If the injection site starts to swell after the child has had the injection, prepare a clean washcloth and moisten it with cold water. Fold the fabric until it becomes a small, soft square. Ask the child to sit or lie down, then place the cloth on the area that begins to swell. This will reduce swelling by cooling the skin while the child is resting.
You can use an ice pack if you want, but you may have a hard time getting your little one to sit still when the ice pack is cold against their skin
Tips
Apply a topical anesthetic to the area to be injected so it doesn't hurt
Warning
- Call your doctor or go to the emergency room if you experience nausea, vomiting, facial swelling, loss of vision, or fever after an injection that shouldn't be causing these symptoms.
- Call your doctor if you have any questions about medication or if you feel that your condition is getting worse after the injection, not getting better.
