What's the least painful place to have a cannula?

[Bookworm382]

I had one at the start of the year and don't remember it being particularly painful but I also don't remember where it was placed. I had another this week and it really flipping hurt! The nurse inserted it into the side of my wrist. It was in for a few hours and stung the whole time.

I'll need another next month. Where should I ask for it to be placed?

Definitely the outside of my forearm. Gave me more freedom for moving about, particularly going to the loo etc when I had trundle my iv behind me

Top of the arm between the wrist and the elbow for me. On the forearm. Didn't restrict movement and wasn't painful at all

Thanks everyone. It'll only be in for a few hours so I don't mind if it restricts movement. I'll try top of the hand next time and then crook of elbow for the 3rd.

I bloody hate them the back of my hands, had one in my wrist/forearm once which was much less of a pain as it didn't flex anywhere near as much which is the problem I find with the hand ones. Reading this might ask for elbow if I have to have one again!

I always ask them to put them in mid forearm, much more comfortable. Never understood why they put them in the wrist, super useless hands.

I had one on the top of my hand last year, wasn't painful or uncomfortable.

Anaesthetist here…. if you start in the hand/wrist it leaves other options further up if the cannula doesn’t go in 1st time. If you start at the elbow that may not be the case.

I'd say the back of the hand. I had 10 in place at one time for a week(1 in each ankle, hands with 3 in my wrists and elbows)
The wrist and ankles were painful as they caught on everything and the elbows were causing pain in my arms. I now have collapsed veins and internal scars but I'm here and that's what matters

I hate having it in the hand.
Always very painful when it goes in, and if the person isnt very good it hurts when they put fluids in

Once when I was going for a procedure the nurse had put a cannula into my hand. They were giving me some fluid. And every time the machine would whirr ( about once a second) some fluid would go in.
So every second when I heard the noise it would hurt.
So - whirr- ow, whirr- ow, whirr- ow.

I think my vein had a kink and the cannula was slightly out of position or something

Anyway just as i was about to for for my procedure, the anaesthetist checked every thing was ok with me. And i told them the cannula was painful.

He checked it and sort of just wriggled it a bit. And suddenly the pain was gone.

I love anaesthetist, they are great with veins

I love anaesthetist, they are great with veins

You would hope so!

I’m one of the drs who does the difficult cannulas other people can’t get. They shouldn’t hurt while anything is running. Sometimes potassium stings but it can be slowed down if needed. Cannulas in the cubital fossa can be a problem due to arm movement constantly stopping an infusion, and in some hospitals the policy is to avoid that area if
at all possible due to infection risk.

The best spot is the one the cannulator can find and access easily to minimise attempts. This may not be the spot that you think is best.

Have had several people point me to their ‘best vein’ that is in fact a tendon.

Fellow cannulator here. Different people are better at cannulators in different places. Personally I'm best at hand cannulas because I like seeing my veins and you can do that in the hands, where as in the elbows you do it more elbow. Others prefer elbows.
I ask my older patients if they have a best vein and where they prefer. I also tell them that if I think their good vein is good, then I'll use it. But I'll go for the vein I think is most likely to work over putting in their fave place.
Better one attempt at a cannula where you don't want it, then multiple attempts to get it where you want it.

Midwife here, and good cannulator. My favourite place is the forearm (top), as I find them to be the least painful and to interfere the least with hand and arm movements.

I prefer top of my non dominant hand or inside forearm.

Crook of elbow I find really annoying! The machines go crazy when you accidentally bend your arm.

I had them in both elbows for a week long stay in hospital and by the time they finally came out both needles had a big curve in them

I hate them. They always do my hand. I've never had a good one yet.

I've had a few and they always try a few places first. I tell them that they never work anywhere but the side of my wrist and they try my elbow/arm/back of hand. Never works. So I agree, wherever works for the patient. They do the same with taking blood. I warn them it's nigh on impossible with me and they are always confident they'll find it easy. Nobody's managed it first time yet. Or second.