Tips to Reduce Injection Pain

How do you react when you come to know that you need to get a jab? What is your immediate response when you hear your doctor prescribing an injection to you? Do you feel nervous? Do you frown? Do you start shivering? This is the case with many people. They fear needles and the very thought of getting a shot turns them off! They sink into a pond of worries! But as you know, injections are a part of treatment and you cannot avoid them! But you can make attempts to relax your mind before getting a shot with the following tips:

1. Divert Your Mind to Some Other Activities: When you are waiting for a shot, you tend to feel very worried. So it is best to distract yourself by getting engaged in some entertaining activities like reading a book or a magazine or listening to music. In some doctors' chambers, you would find separate timings for shots. In those cases, your waiting time is reduced and you get very little time and scope to think about the upcoming shot!
2. Look for Other Areas of Attention in the Room: When you are in the waiting room, focus your attention to any sign, symbol or a picture in the room. Try to pay proper attention to the details - what is the picture trying to say? How many flowers are there? What are the facial expressions of the human figures shown in the picture? If there is a poster about health awareness, then try to evaluate what it means to you and how much do you support the idea. At least focus on something which would prevent you from thinking about the needles!
3. Perform Deep Breathing Exercises: Deep breathing exercises are helpful in relieving stress and they allow your mind to relax. When you divert your mind to do something other than the thought of getting an injection, then you take a step to achieve calmness.
4. Cough: When you are finally ready for the shot and the needle is probing down your skin, then cough. A study involving 68 children conducted at The University of Nebraska found that children who coughed while getting their vaccines experienced less pain. According to researchers, coughing during an injection may provide distraction and stimulates a transient rise in blood pressure which inhibits the perception of pain. For maximal effect, it is important for the cough to coincide with the insertion of the needle.
5. Avoid Stiffness of Your Arm: Normally when you are getting or about to get a shot, you tend to feel much tensed and this stiffens the area where you are getting the shot. This can hurt you more. Instead relax your arm and you won't feel much pain!

There are cases when people literally faint after getting a shot. If you feel lightheaded, just wait and relax in the doctor's chamber for around 15 minutes. You can disclose your worries to the doctor or the nurse before getting a jab. They are experienced professionals who can counsel you and help you to stay relaxed.