to ask about needles/injections

[ghostspirit]

my 12 year old son is really scared of needles.... do boys need to have needles/injections often or is that more a female thing. he gets really stressed if we so much as talk about a needle. i did think when i next have to have a needle should i take him with me so he can see its really not that bad. or do i just leave it... does it even matter should i just leave him.

fecklessfairy thats what i thought but maybe it depends on the person. some here are saying it hurts some say it dont.

Adults do get Emla cream if their phobia is so bad and the HCPs administering the injections are understanding. If they're not understanding then you need to find one that is.

I can't say I've ever felt a simple injection hurts that much . Or giving blood .. (Practice) nurses do so many they are really good at it. My DD 1 hates injections though- she's clear it's not the pain, it's the thought of it . She's not actually phobic and had to have 'the works' for some of the travelling she's done.I agree you need to try and address it or it will be life-limiting.
Had a cannula inserted last summer . May have been because I was badly dehydrated before the op but it hurt so much I got the nurse to remove it at 3am (and I'm quite stoical). Huge bruise on back of hand and half way up my arm after . Was worse than the pain for the op.And I agree re DV injection into the stomach, which no one told me about either, is horrid. And again I had big bruise . Adults can have Emla cream if they ask (have friend whose daughter always has it ) But it may not be the pain-unlikely if someone faints at seeing someone else being injected ?

It's both for me. I find it really painful and it's the thought of it. I feel faint seeing even still pictures of injections.

I don't find a cannula/blood test where it's IV as painful but it does still pinch quite a bit, and a cannula is irritating to the arm, but 100x better than having a new injection each time. For that kind of thing I don't mind the pain as such, it's definitely copable with, but it still makes me a bit swimmy/buzzy afterwards. But IM ones are hugely painful for me. Of course you can't always unclench if you're feeling stressed which probably makes it worse. Would be good if they could give you some kind of muscle relaxant first!

I am jealous of people who say they don't even notice! Where can I get skin like that?

Ooh this sounds good! New device to mask the pain of injections For the phobic: Borderline scary picture. Not too bad.

I have always found injections painful. I used to get hysterical about them as a child and everyone thought I was making a terrible fuss. Later I had to see a dermatologist about something unconnected and he said I had very sensitive skin and would probably feel things like needles more than people with "normal" skin. So it's not just people being wimps!

4 weeks in hospital having my blood taken constantly did cure me of my fear though...

Feckless as I said he has had cognative behavorial, and hypno therapy, but as anyone with phobia will tell you it isnt as simple as "pull yourself together", "do something about it".
Phobia is not the same as not liking it a bit.

BertieBotts interesting article and may be very helpful in the early stages but not so good for a 50+ year old who would happily saw off his own leg no matter what amount of pain rather than face a needle.

You can buy Emla cream over the counter.

If I were you I would get him some help, being needle phobic will have a big effect on him as he gets older. I hate needles and have panic attacks at the dentist....intravenous valium is the only way I can cope (dreading the next visit!) - other injections are almost as bad, passed out cold after the last tetanus jab.
I had a DVT a few years ago, meaning injections into my tummy and daily blood tests. After sobbing at the very kind doctor and nurse, I learnt how to inject myself (twice a day for weeks) and the nurse doing bloods taught me some simple relaxation techniques so I could get through it. Ok, I'm not saying I find it easy, but I can cope now with injections. It does hurt, but not that much - I can do it. --now just need to apply the same thing
to the dentist--