These days, most people are familiar with the term “shot.” As in, “I can’t believe I have to take another shot!” In reality, shots are far less painful than the word implies. In fact, many patients actually look forward to their injections because of how quick and painless they are.
Intramuscular Injections
Intramuscular injections involve the use of a needle to inject medication just under the skin (subcutaneous tissue). The medication is absorbed into the blood stream and delivered directly to its intended target. For example, if you have been diagnosed with diabetes and your doctor prescribes insulin, this injection will help you manage your disease by keeping your blood sugar levels normal throughout the day.
Subcutaneous Injections
Subcutaneous injections involve the use of a needle to inject medication just under the skin. These injections are used when you want to give your pet a large amount of medication quickly, but don’t want them to feel it as much (like when they’re getting vaccinated). To do this type of injection, you’ll use a smaller needle than normal and inject at an angle that is more vertical than horizontal. This means the tip of your needle needs to be pointed towards your pet’s shoulder rather than towards their head or chest. It’s important that you don’t get too close! If you accidentally stick yourself while giving an injection, call your doctor immediately so they can prescribe antibiotics before any serious harm occurs.
Intravenous Injections
Intravenous injections involve the use of a needle to inject medications directly into a vein. IVs are used for medications that need to be delivered quickly, in large quantities and/or when other delivery methods don’t work well or at all. Medications that are not suitable for other delivery methods (e.g., vaccines) may also be given via IV injection.
Intradermal Injections
Intradermal injections involve using a finer gauge needle than normal, so that it will penetrate the dermis and reside in deeper layers of skin. This technique is used when treating small areas or when attempting localized pain relief. The needle is smaller than the normal needle used for subcutaneous injections, which means that it can be inserted with less discomfort for patients.
Injections are a common way to administer medication and other treatments. They can be used for nearly any type of ailment, including chronic pain or even cancer treatment. The most common types of injections are intramuscular, subcutaneous, intravenous and intradermal injections. These involve different techniques but all use needles in order to inject medication under the skin or into the bloodstream.
