Confirm with your provider where the shot will be administered so you can numb up the correct spot. Always ask about using numbing creams ahead of time since not all offices or clinics carry them and you may have to supply your own.
Try squeezing a stress ball or playing with a fidget spinner to work out some of your nervous energy. Bring a book or magazine to read if that’s more interesting and distracting to you than social media or music. Remember that your doctor or nurse may not want you listening to your headphones during the actual appointment.
Massage the site while you’re in the waiting room, while you’re in the exam room, or even while you’re commuting to the doctor’s office. Do not rub or apply pressure to the injection site if the shot included medications like Lovenox or heparin since these can cause extra bruising. [5] X Research source This tactical stimulation prepares the skin for the added pressure of a needle and reduces the amount of pain you’re likely to feel.
Ask your provider if it’s alright to scroll your phone during the shot if you think that’s the best way to keep yourself distracted. Try distracting yourself by imagining you’re on vacation or reciting poems and song lyrics to yourself (out loud or in your head). Pretend the needle is going into a different part of your body than the injection site so you’re not anticipating pain in the actual spot.
Focus on deep, slow breaths to oxygenate your blood, slow your heart beat, and decrease muscle tension. Try this exercise: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, and then exhale for 8 seconds.
Studies show that your expectation and perception of pain is higher when you see the needle coming or in your skin.
Alternatively, try coughing vigorously before and during the injection. It provides similar distraction and blood pressure-raising benefits. [11] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
Movement helps the medicine circulate away from the injection spot more quickly, which relieves potential swelling or discomfort faster. Depending on the injection and location, you might be asked to avoid heavy lifting or vigorous activity for at least a few hours afterwards.
Apply hot or cold treatments for up to 15-20 minutes at a time, several times throughout the day. Do not apply ice or cold compresses directly to your bare skin.
Ask your doctor if it’s safe to use these after an injection in case they interact with the injected medication. Always follow the dosage instructions for OTC medicines to avoid negative side effects.
Act out the doctor’s visit with a stuffed animal ahead of time. Show them where the injection will go and bring the toy to the appointment for support. [17] X Research source Try not to fib and say the shot won’t hurt. It will build mistrust for future injections and make the experience more draining.
Try not to say “everything will be OK” to comfort them. This phrase usually pops up when there’s a problem, and your child might get worried. Try upbeat and encouraging phrases like “You’ll feel so grown up after your shot!” or “It’ll be over before you know it. ”
Try holding a vibration anesthesia device (VAD) just above where the shot will be given. The sensation will dull the pain of the injection. Make sure to confirm where the injection will be so you can numb up the correct spot.
If your child is an infant, swaddle them tightly in a blanket with one leg exposed for the shot. Don’t hold your child down against their will since this can be a traumatizing experience. Use comforting touch or distractions to calm them instead.
For infants and very young children, try giving them a pacifier or making funny, distracting faces when it’s time for the shot.
Bring a treat like a juice box or a snack that they can have after the shot, or go on a fun outing to the park or a toy store on your way home.
The middle of the thigh The hip The upper arm (deltoid) The upper outer part of the buttocks
A roll of fat around your waist The buttocks The upper arm (use the top of a chair, a door, or the outside corner of 2 walls to help push fat from the back of your arm forward)
If you’re administering a shot to someone else, sit down so you’re at their level and can gauge the angle of the injection accurately.
Resist the urge to rest the needle on your skin and then push. This is a much slower motion that will hurt noticeably more.
When the syringe is empty, pull it straight out of your skin at the same angle you inserted it.
When you think about the end-goal of keeping yourself healthy, it makes the pain seem less severe and more manageable (or at least, more worth it).
