The IM route allows for rapid absorption of specific medications. You should be using somewhere between a 22 and a 30 gauge needle (this will largely be determined by the thickness of the medication your doctor will tell you which gauge to use). This can help prevent you from wasting medication. Safe sites for injections include the upper arm muscle (deltoid), the upper quadrant of the buttock, or the side of the hip (lateral hip) or thigh. How To Give A Painless Injection - Insulin Injection Method Use a needle long enough to reach the deep muscle. See the general instruction sheet on giving yourself an IM injection. Wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. Dermatologic Therapy. Hold the syringe like a pencil. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved, Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Can diet and exercise reverse prediabetes? Intramuscular injections are given into a muscle. How to Choose a Syringe and Needle for an Injection - Verywell Health You may inject the medicine through your clothing, if you need to. Dry them. Leuprolide (Intradermal Route, Intramuscular Route - Mayo Clinic 35 If the injection angle is >70, the needle should reach the muscle layer. Remove air bubbles by gently tapping the syringe and pressing the plunger. To inject into your arm, use the top of a chair, the outside corner of two walls, or the edge of a door to push the loose flesh from the back of your arm to a forward position that you can easily see and reach with the needle. It is essential to seek medical assistance if a person experiences prolonged or severe side effects after their injection. Note: For incredibly small children, a smaller needle is needed. You may receive a hard plastic container made especially for used syringes and needles. All rights reserved. Find the area halfway between the knee and hip and slightly to the side. Injection technique 1: administering drugs via the intramuscular route Use the correct needle length based on the patient's gender and weight. Clean the rubber stopper with an alcohol swab. Make sure that both the syringe and needle fit into the container easily and cannot break through the sides. prescribed a medicine that must be given by intramuscular (IM) injection. triangle. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/17\/Give-an-Intramuscular-Injection-Step-7-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Give-an-Intramuscular-Injection-Step-7-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/17\/Give-an-Intramuscular-Injection-Step-7-Version-2.jpg\/aid1384620-v4-728px-Give-an-Intramuscular-Injection-Step-7-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"

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\n<\/p><\/div>"}. You may need help from a partner. They can also ask a caregiver to help. ", problem. See the general instruction sheet on giving yourself an IM injection. To find an injection site: Touch the bone at the top of your upper arm. Read on to learn more about the different types, including their uses and possible injection sites. I had no idea that we should make sure we dont hit an artery, "I had a short time to prepare the administration of intramuscular injections, and this article was the answer to my, "The illustration of the thigh helped me to give myself a painless injection, thank you!". Step 2. A rash or itching develops after the injection is given. Shortness of breath develops after the injection is given.
Intramuscular injection - Wikipedia To locate the ventrogluteal muscle on someone else, place the heel of the hand on the hip, with the fingers pointing toward the head. Insert the needle through the rubber top of the vial and press the plunger, pushing the air into the vial. Too many injections in the same location can cause scarring and skin changes. 1 Wash your hands prior to starting the procedure. don't inject the medicine. To find these muscles, imagine lines dividing the front of your thigh into thirds from the top to the bottom. U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus. This allows the bloodstream to absorb the medication quickly. You will find a site in the center of this Finally, make sure to dispose of the needle properly in a special needle receptacle. How to Give Yourself a Subcutaneous Injection Using a Prefilled Syringe. Nicole Galan, RN, is a registered nurse and the author of "The Everything Fertility Book.". Vaccine Administration: Needle Gauge and Length. Imagine a line from the bottom of the buttocks to the top of the hip bone. It needs to be long enough to reach deep into the muscle tissue. If you do not see blood, simply inject. Do not blow on it or fan the site to quicken the drying process. unlocking this expert answer. Read our. a minute. These Giving an IM (intramuscular) injection - MedlinePlus Ask your caregiver or a pharmacist what your state or local requirements are for getting rid of used syringes and needles. Sharing another person's used needles or medicines An intramuscular injection is a technique used to deliver a medication deep into the muscles. Use the upper arm site only if other larger sites can't be used. Giving an IM (Intramuscular) Injection. "The article was detailed, well-written, and helpful. Vegetarian dietary patterns may reduce cardiovascular disease risk, What to know about different types of injections, Everything you need to know about trigger point injections. It takes time to get used to giving IM injections. Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis These two lines form a box divided into 4 parts. Reducing Intramuscular and Subcutaneous Injection Pain - Verywell Health This prevents the build-up of scar tissues that can make injections difficult. To learn how to talk to your patient and calm them down before giving an injection, read more from our Nurse co-author! Insert the needle with a brisk, controlled motion. Tap the syringe to move any air bubbles to the top, then push them into the vial. Anatomically safe sites for intramuscular injections: a cross-sectional study on young adults and cadavers with a focus on the thigh. PDF Administering Vaccines: Dose, Route, Site, and Needle Size doi: 10.1111/dth.12817, Ayinde O, Hayward RS, Ross JDC. A fever, sneezing, or coughing develops after the injection. Choosing a muscle is dependent on the medication volume and the age or size of the patient. For those three years and older, the thigh or deltoid are both viable options. The hip may be preferred because of the large muscle mass in the area which may be less painful than the arm. A doctor may use an intramuscular shot if: Intramuscular injections have other advantages too. The amount of medication in a cc is the same as in an mL. with the needle. Put the needle and syringe in a sharps container. Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 3 July 2023), Cerner Multum (updated 20 July 2023), ASHP (updated 10 July 2023) and others. Ondansetron injection is used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by cancer medicines (chemotherapy or radiation), including high-dose cisplatin. healthcare provider, Nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report, Discharge Instructions: Giving Yourself an Intramuscular (IM) Injection in the Upper There are also numbing creams, typically containing lidocaine, available at most drugstores. Ask your healthcare provider if you should inject the medicine in a certain site. Administer all diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccines (DT, DTaP, Td, and Tdap) by the intramuscular route. Do not touch the area until you give the injection; if you do, you'll just have to clean the area again. Move your hand about 3 to 4 inches down the outer side of You only need to do this for dorsogluteal muscles since youre close to the gluteal artery. Finding an injection site. People can receive intramuscular injections in the following areas: The deltoid muscle is the most common site for vaccines. Has trouble breathing (shortness of breath). use alcohol-based hand sanitizer before and after all IM injections. Yourhealthcare providerhas Injection site reactions with the use of biological agents. Trigger point injections can help relieve chronic muscle pain. Remember that practice makes perfect, and it will get easier with time. body. Find the intersection of an imaginary line drawn between the anteroposterior axillary line and a perpendicular line from the mid-lateral of the acromial process (imagine where a line drawn from the middle of the acromion process would bisect a line drawn across the top level of the armpit). The ventrogluteal muscle is the most common site for IM injections in adults and children of walking age. You can opt-out at any time. Best Way to Get Rid of Used Needles and Other Sharps. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. You will receive your Prolia injection from your healthcare provider at their office or clinic. The main thing to remember is not to "stab" the needle but to give the shot with a brisk, controlled movement. The point of the triangle is at the level of the armpit. Then, pull back the plunger a little and inject the medication slowly. To help the patient relax, suggest they look in another direction if they want to. Some medicines need to be given into a muscle to work correctly. To give yourself or your partner an IM injection: If you need to give yourself IM injections regularly, be sure to alternate injection sites. Editorial team. Let it dry. Were committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. 2018;114(8):23-5. To find this site, divide one butt cheek into fourths from top to bottom and side to side. Before doctors began using the hip as an injection site, they used the dorsogluteal muscles in the buttocks. Allow the alcohol to air dry for 30 seconds. Prepare your medicine as you were shown by your healthcare provider. Prepare a new needle and choose a different injection site don't try to give the shot in the same place. To do so, you need to hold the syringe firmly. Pull back on the plunger a little. 2021;16(5):e0250883. Quickly remove the needle from the skin and dispose of it in a puncture-resistant container. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. Call your medical provider right away after injection. As you practice and become used to giving the injection, you can increase your speed. Then: Hold the syringe like a pencil. Many vaccinations are given by this route. Medication injected intramuscularly (IM) is measured in cm3s or mLs. What Is an Insulin Pen and How Is It Used? Nurs Stand. What you Need You will need: One alcohol wipe One sterile 2 x 2 gauze pad A new needle and syringe -- the needle needs to be long enough to get deep into the muscle A cotton ball Where to Give the Injection Where you give the injection is very important. You should insert the needle at a 90-degree angle to the skin (straight up and down) to ensure it gets into the deltoid muscle. GLP-1 Receptor Agonists for Type 2 Diabetes, Choosing the Right Needle For Your Injections, How to Administer a Subcutaneous Injection, Intramuscular Injections of Progesterone in Oil, When to Call Your Healthcare Provider About an Injection Side Effect. The smaller the needle is, the less painful the injection will be. slightly on the plunger. Tension in the muscle makes the injection more painful. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, for Health Content Provider (www.urac.org). It is where your arm meets your shoulder. Certain medicines need to be given into the muscle for them to work correctly. You do not want to hit a nerve or a blood vessel. Aspiration is not necessary or recommended. Healthcare professionals often give intramuscular injections into the ventrogluteal muscle of the hip. [1] Injection technique 1: administering drugs viathe intramuscular route, Anatomically safe sites for intramuscular injections: a cross-sectional study on young adults and cadavers with a focus on the thigh. The barrel holds the medicine and has markings on it like a ruler. The preferred injection site in older children and adults is the deltoid muscle in the upper arm. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Do not massage the site as this can cause the medication to leak, as well as irritation. Why Parkinson's research is zooming in on the gut. Part 1 of this two-part series on injection techniques describes the evidence base and procedure for administering an intramuscular injection . Increasing redness, warmth, swelling, or pain at the injection site, Red streaks spreading outward from the injection site. 2014;29(4):52-59. a certain site. Position the index and middle fingers into a V then administer the shot in the middle of the V. Typically, people who need to self-administer injections use the vastus lateralis muscle in the thigh. Z-Track Method of Injection: Procedure and Side Effects - Verywell Health Seek immediate medical help or call 911 if any of the following symptoms occur after getting an injection: Ayinde O, Hayward RS, Ross JDC. only 1 time. Intravenous (IV) injections are given directly into . People with specific conditions, such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, may need to give themselves this type of injection at home. Discuss changing injection sites with a doctor. 2020;16(1):189-196. doi: 10.1080/21645515.2019.1646576. It is a large muscle situated well away from vulnerable nerves like the sciatic nerve. For more details, see our Privacy Policy. Put the injection in the center of the triangle of the muscle. injection in the hospital. muscle fibrosis, or scarring of muscle tissue, hematoma, where blood seeps out of blood vessels into the surrounding tissue, redness, swelling, or warmth at the injection site, signs of an allergic reaction, such as swelling or breathing problems. If there is blood, it means the needle is in a blood vessel and not a muscle. If the prescribed dose is more than 1 mL, choose a different site to inject more medicine. PDF Vaccine Administration: Intramuscular (IM) Injection Adults 19 years of The picture of the different injection sites was also helpful. Imagine the shape of an upside-down triangle here. Do not remove dose-divider clip at the other end of the sprayer. Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner. Vaccine Administration Route and Site | CDC Clinical Guidelines (Nursing) : Intramuscular Injections Official answer by Drugs.com You do not give Prolia to yourself. Intramuscular injections are administered into the muscle through the skin and subcutaneous tissue. Dispose of the needle and syringe in a sharps container and repeat the process in a different spot on your upper arm. If you give yourself an injection in the dorsogluteal site, there is a risk of sciatic nerve injury. The tissue in the muscles can also hold more medication than fatty tissue. How to Give Intramuscular Injections - Together by St. Jude Toradol (ketorolac) intramuscular injections are usually given in the prominent part of the hip (ventrogluteal injection site) or in the outer, upper arm area (deltoid injection site). Anatomically safe sites for intramuscular injections: a cross-sectional study on young adults and cadavers with a focus on the thigh. shape of an upside-down triangle here. This is the top side of the upside-down Make sure you have the right amount of the right medicine in the syringe. An IM injection is a shot of medicine given into a muscle (intramuscular). Our experienced providers are here and ready to get you the care you need. can cause other infections, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. Pull your first (index) finger away from the other fingers, forming a V. You may feel the edge of a bone at the tips of your first finger. There are 3 parts to a syringe: the needle, the barrel, and the plunger. Copyright 1997-2023, A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited without authorization. Injection sites include the upper arm, hip, thigh, and buttocks. To find the injection site, feel for the bone at the top of your arm where your arm meets your shoulder. ", file a complaint. Locate the injection site according to the instructions above. This is to make sure you did not hit a blood vessel 3. How to Give Yourself a Subcutaneous Injection Using a Prefilled Syringe. [2] 2 Reassure the patient and explain how the procedure will unfold. It can be a little trickier to give than other types of injections. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. How to Reduce Intramuscular and Subcutaneous Injection Pain. It's where This article has 12 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. 2. The needle gauge for intramuscular injection is 22-25 gauge. The injection site is about two inches below that spot (or roughly two or three finger widths). In this article, we explain where and how to administer an intramuscular injection. Needle that breaks off in the injection site, Problems that keep you from giving yourself the injection, Bleeding or painat the injection site that won't stop. Most adults will require a 1-inch needle, but the exact size depends on the persons weight. Subscribe to Drugs.com newsletters for the latest medication news, new drug approvals, alerts and updates. Support wikiHow by If you have never done it before, the thought of giving an intramuscular injection can be overwhelming and frightening. Spread the skin with your fingers and inject the needle straight down in a dart-like motion all the way. You were shown how to do an IM Want to receive the latest news from Mount Nittany Health? Pay careful attention to the area between the fingers and under the fingernails. After youve made the injection, pull the needle out at the same angle you inserted it, and press on the injection site with a small piece of gauze to prevent bleeding. We link primary sources including studies, scientific references, and statistics within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. Use a needle long enough to reach deep into the muscle. To get rid of the used syringes and needles: Call 911 or the local emergency number right away if: American Academy of Pediatrics website. The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. Withdraw and start over with a new needle, syringe, and injection site. 's editorial policy editorial process and privacy policy. Gently spread the skin between two fingers and keep the muscles relaxed. Intramuscular injection may be preferred because muscles have larger and more numerous blood vessels than subcutaneous tissue, leading to faster absorption than subcutaneous or intradermal injections. How and where is a deltoid IM injection given? - Drugs.com