This is not true. Buena Vista Images / Digital Vision / Getty Images, If you are prone to bruising and pain, you can use ice or an ice pack to numb the injection site for several minutes prior to injecting yourself. Make sure to clean the area with an alcohol pad afterward. Reassure yourself that fertility treatments are not forever. By using our site, you agree to our. Dr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This way, you're anticipating pain in another area and this distracts you from the actual injection. Just make sure you are doing each step properly and, "Wow, this really helped and it saved me big time, loved it. This is probably … I'm kind of excited now. Squeeze a stress ball. Take deep breaths in the waiting room, listen to music, or squeeze a stress ball. ", tense up your arm or the place you are getting your needle. One site may be easier than others, but rotating can help reduce any pain, tension, or frustration you may experience. Last Updated: October 26, 2020 Talk to someone (maybe your mum or dad) about the injection. I read this, and I didn't pass out, and I barely felt the needle. ", "This did help a lot, and it is understandable.". Don’t beat yourself up about it; many people aren’t able to inject themselves. Remembering the reason can also help you keep any discomfort you may feel in perspective. Hold onto someone's hand if someone is with you. Your support helps wikiHow to create more in-depth illustrated articles and videos and to share our trusted brand of instructional content with millions of people all over the world. Getting an injection — also known as a shot — is an inevitable part of a healthy lifestyle. Learn how to manage stress like a therapist. Like with intramuscular injections, try rotating your injection site if you experience pain or bruising with repeat injections.. Updated January, 2018. Now I feel safer and know what to do, "I have to get middle school shots tomorrow and lab work done, and I'm scared, but I'm too old for this. Also, i plan on using Bengay or using a numbing spray. I'm really scared so this will be really helpful. Subcutaneous means just below the skin, into the fatty tissue that lies between your skin and the muscle underneath. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Written by Kristen Fischer on January 24, 2019. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Do you think that it will help even if they use alcohol to disinfect first? Imagine you're soaking up the sun on a dream vacation or getting a cup of coffee with your friend. Four sites can be used to give an intramuscular injection. Here are five tips to reduce the pain associated with at-home fertility injections. If you're worried it's still going to hurt, ask the doctor or nurse to apply a numbing cream to the injection site. Recite a poem or song lyrics. Egyptian Doctor Moderator Verified Doctor. How do I make Injections less painful? Brian Levine, MD, MS, FACOG, is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, as well as in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. The fear of pain and the sight of a needle, no matter how big, can be intimidating for most people. Dr. Matsko earned a Research Writing Certification from the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) in 2016 and a Medical Writing & Editing Certification from the University of Chicago in 2017. This article received 20 testimonials and 83% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. If your stomach is very lean, try injecting into your thighs. You will probably be thinking now "How's this going to help?" The former helps you accept the inevitable, which can allow your body to relax rather than tense up in apprehension. A variety of medications, blood work, and vaccines require an injection. Many common injections, such as most vaccinations, are administered in the arm, while certain antibiotics may be administered to the back or the buttocks. Thanks, wikiHow! Thanks for, "This is so helpful. How to Reduce Intramuscular and Subcutaneous Injection Pain, Ⓒ 2020 About, Inc. (Dotdash) — All rights reserved, Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Amid the current public health and economic crises, when the world is shifting dramatically and we are all learning and adapting to changes in daily life, people need wikiHow more than ever. There’s a simple technique to make injecting yourself with insulin easy and pain-free. I found an answer really fast and it answered my, "It's sort of made me feel better by learning more about shots.