Sometimes these injections hurt!

[mhall812]

I'm new to all this stuff. Most of the time the injections are painless, but sometimes I hit a spot that really hurts. Immediately afterwards there is a knot and the next daythere is an ugly bruise. I give them in the same area (my stomach).

Is this normal?

[Subby]

Unfortunately, yes. If you can, try and work out what areas are likely to have this problem more often - but I always found (and I think it's common) that it's just going to happen now and then, regardless.

If the occasional pain is a real problem for you, I believe some people use a numbing agent or ice to avoid the pain. I'm not sure if this avoids the bruise, though.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by a knot. Do you mean there is a bump where you injected? I found I would constantly get lumps. I never found out how much of a problem this really caused, generally such a lump should disappear over a few days or so. If you keep injecting in one place, you risk affecting the fatty tissues underneath badly and causing long term lumps - so, try not to stick on one spot too much.

It's good practise to rotate your injection sites regularly. Exactly how you do this is up to you. I moved around sites on my torso with boluses, and always injected my long acting in my backside. This served two functions, to spread the damage so to speak, and to be sure never to mix long acting and basal close together, by mistake (they can affect each other if injected close by).

You have something else you can try - different lengths of needles. If you are on short needles, you can try long, and vice versa. Usually a bit of trial and error and experimentation will let you know if one works better than the other for you.

[Funnygrl]

Yeah, occassionally shoving needled in yourself constantly hurts.

Hopefully not too often, though.

Have you tried different kinds of syringes?

[andypoo]

I agree that probably the shorter needles would be more comfortable,thats what I use. And if you are thin,maybe lightly pinch the site that you inject,don't pinch hard,just lightly. I know it hurts but you'll evntually get a better grasp on it and before you know it, it won't hurt anymore,............well maybe just a little.

[SharpTail]

I think just by bad luck once in a while you are going hit a spot (probably a nerve) that will really sting. I find it more likely to hit such a spot on the sides of my belly. Rarely will I have any pain in the back of my arm or in the shoulder (deltoid). Also I reserve my thighs for my two daily shots of Lantus and virtually never have a painful injection there.
Pat

[Scratch]

Every now and then, you're going to hit a spot that hurts. Oh well.

If you're only injecting in your stomach, you should consider moving around to other areas too. Any place I can reach and has fat to pinch up, I use: back of arms, below the pectorals and on top of the ribcage area, tummy, sides of the hips, thighs, behind the calf muscles, I've used all those areas.

[notme]

I seem to be the only one that finds longer needles hurt less with no painful lump afterwards. I think this just goes to show you that everyone is different. I also had some spots I just avoided, knowing they would result in bruising and painful lumps. My thighs were difficult and I always seemed to bleed more and bruise. I just avoided using those areas.

Try different length needles. They make different gauge needles also. Stay away from those areas that bruise the most.

[mhall812]

Stomach and theighs are the only places I could pinch and inject myself. I cant do my arm since I am not that coordinated to pinch and inject with the same hand.

If it is normal that is fine. I can deal wih it.

[Scratch]

For the back of the arms, the thing to do is sit some place, then you roll up the back of the arm by pulling up a leg and putting the arm up on the knee and rolling the muscle and fat up. With a short needle, you should be to inject subQ.

[lorilei]

For the back of the arms, the thing to do is sit some place, then you roll up the back of the arm by pulling up a leg and putting the arm up on the knee and rolling the muscle and fat up. With a short needle, you should be to inject subQ.

good tip Scratch...thanks!

[mhall812]

For the back of the arms, the thing to do is sit some place, then you roll up the back of the arm by pulling up a leg and putting the arm up on the knee and rolling the muscle and fat up. With a short needle, you should be to inject subQ.


Thanks. I'm going to try that today.

[lorilei]

Scratch and Mhall...I just tried the arm trick...worked really, really well...thanks again!

[Scratch]

I'm glad it helped. I can't remember if I was taught that back in the hospital almost 24 years ago now or if I figured it out on my own. I know I've been doing it a long time, I remember a kid watching me inject myself in my arm at summer camp in 1985, my first summer with taking an injection of NPH every morning.

He asked me if it hurt and I said no.

[AngelKitty]

Hi - I found that i was getting a lot of bruises using shorter needles as well - I switched to using longer needles and that drastically reduced my bruising.
As for the pain factor sometimes it's a bit of hit and miss -just the nature of the beast I guess.

[beau91]

Here to ,i find that longer needles hurt less .Another way i've learned for the back of the arms you put your arm on a door frame and put
pressure on the back of your arm that's on the frame and inject it's like pinching your arm .Bye
Ricky