Why injections cause complications and how to avoid them

According to statistics, about 20% of adult Russians suffer from trypanophobia. This is the fear of syringes and injections. It is believed that it occurs due to an insufficiently high level of medicine and negligent treatment of patients by doctors. Mostly, people are afraid that when a syringe with medicine is inserted into the body, they will feel pain. Their fears are not unfounded, because some injections can actually cause pain, although not for long. But, fortunately for many trypanophobes, there are several ways to reduce the pain from injections. If you follow a few recommendations, the injections will not be as painful as expected. Maybe after these recommendations, the fear of injections in some people will disappear altogether.

Fear of needles is called trypanophobia

Watch out for reefs!

The most “popular” injections that doctors prescribe for many diseases are the so-called intramuscular ones.
Simply put, this is an injection in the buttock or thigh. At first glance, nothing complicated. Actually this is not true. This simple procedure has its own riffs. There are five main types of complications. A bruise, or, in medical language, a hematoma. This is one of the most “harmless” complications. This usually does not require treatment.

Compaction or infiltration. It threatens with serious trouble: the medicine does not enter the muscle, but the subcutaneous fatty tissue. It takes a long time to dissolve; in some cases, an abscess may form at the injection site.

An abscess, or more simply put, an abscess. Most often it is provoked by microbes that enter through the skin when injected.

This situation is dangerous: the first warning symptoms are redness, swelling, and sometimes throbbing pain. Hurry to the doctor - at the “initial” stage you can get by with conservative treatment, but if you miss the moment, only a surgeon’s scalpel can help.

Nerve damage. An injection in the buttock can hit the sciatic nerve, which runs through the middle and lower part of the buttocks. Not only is it painful, it can be temporarily paralyzing. The consequences are treated by a neurologist.

Allergic reaction - unfortunately, this option cannot always be predicted. Allergy symptoms appear immediately: redness, swelling, itching at the injection site. Some may experience allergic rhinitis or conjunctivitis. You should consult a doctor immediately.

Why do they arise, these complications? There are many reasons. According to experts, the most common are violations of the “technology”, incorrect choice of syringe and needle, non-compliance with antiseptic measures, etc. The risk of complications increases sharply when the procedure is carried out independently, at home, and in our country, unfortunately, many people do this today, frivolously believing that an injection is a simple and safe manipulation.

Types of anesthesia

There are several methods in medicine; they differ in duration, effectiveness and location.

Conductor.

The most common type of local anesthesia in dentistry. Using a special needle, the drug is injected near the nerve trunk, blocking pain impulses that go to the brain. The injection is given in doses not exceeding a volume of 5 ml. To ensure a guaranteed result, the injection is placed at an angle of 90 degrees.

“Freezing” applies only to a certain group of teeth, in the place where the treatment will take place. After about 15 minutes, the medicine begins to work and the doctor can begin work.

The injection site can be additionally lubricated with lidocaine. If during the procedure the patient continues to feel discomfort, another dose may be administered.

Infiltration

It differs from the conductor only in the angle of the needle and the place of application. The drug is injected directly into the root apex area. This type is most effective for teeth and upper jaw. With infiltration anesthesia, you can “freeze” both a small area and a large surface of the oral cavity along with soft tissues.

Applique

This method is performed without a syringe. The dentist applies the necessary product directly to the diseased tooth and the soft tissues surrounding it using a cotton swab or fingers. Some doctors spray anesthetics using a special spray.

It is mainly used during simple and quick operations, since its effect is short-term and does not protect against severe pain. The result is stored for a maximum of 20 minutes. It is often used as the first stage before the injection “freezing” method.

Intraosseous

The dentist resorts to this technique much less often when other types of anesthesia have proven ineffective. An analgesic that is injected directly into the hard tissues between the teeth. The difficulty lies in the technique; to get to the bone, the doctor cuts the gum and drills a hole in it with a bur. This is the most effective method for quickly and permanently freezing the required area.

Intraligamentary

Its peculiarity is the high speed of injection, so numbness occurs almost immediately, but lasts only 20-30 minutes. The advantage of intraligamentary anesthesia in dentistry is that it acts directly on the tooth without touching the cheeks, lips and tongue. That is why the recovery process is much easier.

Needle and needle are different

Few people know that if you are prescribed a course of intramuscular injections (even if they are given by a nurse), it is better not to rely on government-issued materials, but to buy syringes with certain needles at the pharmacy, taking into account your weight, gender and age. It is clear that thin and short needles are used for children. And for adults? Experts say: it all depends on gender, weight, physique. Because women and men have different layers of subcutaneous fat, and, therefore, for intramuscular injections it is necessary to use needles of different lengths.

It is also important to consider obesity: obese patients require longer needles. Otherwise, a big problem may arise: due to the short needle, the medicine cannot be injected deep enough, and it ends up not in the muscle, but in the subcutaneous fatty tissue. Over time, the drug, of course, will “dissolve”, but, firstly, the effectiveness of treatment decreases (the medicine does not enter the blood quickly), and secondly, a compaction forms at the injection site, inflammation may occur, and pain appears. How to choose the right syringe and needles?

“Ideally, when writing a prescription for a particular drug, the doctor should also write down what syringes and needles the patient needs to purchase,” says Andrey Grishkovets, medical director of the NP “Society for the Development of Medicine and Healthcare.” “But, unfortunately, doctors don’t do this.” In the pharmacy, no one warns the buyer about this either: pharmacists, when recommending a syringe, are guided only by its volume.

How to choose the right syringe and needles? This is what the professional, chief nurse of the Federal State Institution “GNITS PM Rosmedtekhnologii” Yulia Arkhangelskaya advises:

● the volume of the syringe should be slightly larger than the volume of the prescribed single dose of the drug; ● the thickness of the needle should depend on the physical properties of the drug: the higher its viscosity (for example, an oil solution is prescribed), the larger the needle diameter should be; ● for subcutaneous injections a needle 20–25 mm long can be used, for intramuscular injections the length of the needle depends on the injection site: if it is done in the thigh, 25 mm is enough, if in the buttock, a needle 30 mm long is needed; ● if the patient is overweight, that is, his body mass index (weight divided by height squared) is above 30, the needle length should be at least 40 mm.

Anesthesia methods

Depending on the goals and nature of the problem, the doctor chooses the method of pain relief. In medicine there are two main methods:

Anesthesia

It is most often used in surgery, and in dentistry much less often, in case of urgent need. It affects the entire body of the patient, inducing a state of sleep. At this time, all muscles relax and consciousness turns off. You can administer painkillers intravenously or inhale vapors through a mask. Deep anesthesia is used during complex operations when a person does not have enough strength to cope with pain or it is necessary to completely eliminate body movement. During sleep, the doctor monitors the patient's condition to avoid emergency situations.

Recovery from anesthesia is the body’s return to normal functioning after a long “freeze.” For all people, this process proceeds differently, some experience signs of nausea or a feeling of lethargy, while others wake up well-slept and rested.

General anesthesia in dentistry during pregnancy is applicable only in emergency cases when there is no other alternative.

Local anesthesia

Unlike anesthesia, it occurs locally, affecting only certain areas of the body. Can be used for children and pregnant women, without fear of unwanted consequences. In dental practice, this method is most often used, so we will talk about it in more detail.

Law and order

Unfortunately, if there is a chronic patient in the family (cancer or hypertension), it is difficult to count on regular visits from a nurse. Even for money. Question: where can I learn how to give injections to help a loved one? There are, of course, medical benefits, there is a “course” on the Internet. But this is a very serious risk, and the procedure itself requires training and skill. It would seem that it would be possible to create paid master classes at the same clinics for those who wish, and for many the problem would be solved. But the law prohibits this. Doctors do not have the right to teach injection techniques to the population. This is illegal. An injection is a medical service that can only be provided by professionals with medical education.

Law is law. But life has its own order. So the only way out is to ask the nurse, as they say, to conduct training privately. But keep in mind that the patient should do the first independent injections only under her supervision.

Features of pain relief in pregnant women

One of the most common misconceptions is that pregnant women are contraindicated for dental treatment. You should not trust unreliable sources; dentistry and pregnancy are completely compatible concepts. Expectant mothers should undergo a professional examination during planning and at 8, 18 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. Untreated infections in the oral cavity contribute to the development of other dangerous diseases.

The question immediately arises: can the use of dental anesthesia harm the health of the unborn child? Modern technologies allow the use of drugs with lower concentrations of adrenaline. Accepted painkillers are ultracaine, primacaine or mepivacaine*. They do not penetrate the placenta, therefore, do not harm the body of a pregnant woman.

*A verified and accurate list of acceptable medications can be obtained from your doctor.

Your own director?

Even if you have been giving injections to your family for a long time and confidently, do not lose your vigilance and do not forget about the safety rules:

● Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before handling; it is advisable to pat the skin with a clean gauze pad rather than drying it with an everyday hand towel. ● Be sure to check whether the name of the drug matches the one you are going to inject into the patient, and also check the expiration date before opening the package. ● If the drug is in a sealed bottle, after removing the protective cap, be sure to wipe the rubber cap with alcohol. ● When using medicine in an ampoule, before opening it, be sure to wipe the glass with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol to prevent infection from getting on the needle when it comes into contact with the outside of the ampoule. ● Never use vodka to wipe the injection site - a 40% alcohol solution does not kill dangerous bacteria and microorganisms on the surface of the skin. But pure alcohol is also a bad option: it does not so much disinfect as it dries and tans the skin. ● Before injection, lift the syringe with the drug vertically and release air bubbles; ● If swelling, redness, etc. appears at the injection site, do not self-medicate - consult a doctor immediately to prevent the development of complications.

Indications and contraindications for the use of local anesthesia

Any dental intervention that causes pain must be accompanied by “freezing” of the required area of ​​the oral cavity. There is a list of diseases for the treatment of which it is necessary to administer anesthetic drugs:

• Complex caries;
• Removal of a tooth or its roots;
• Periodontitis;
• Inflammatory processes in the dental system;
• During prosthetics.

Before drawing up a treatment plan and choosing medications, the doctor must interview the patient and find out from him the presence of contraindications in order to exclude the possibility of complications.

• Allergy to drugs used;
• Heart diseases;
• Diabetes;
• Problems with the endocrine system.

PHOTO BEFORE AND AFTER OPERATION ENDOPROSTHETICS OF THE BUTTOCKS

Photo of the patient before gluteoplasty and 3 months after it.

The patient is satisfied with the result of buttock replacement and assesses her general health as good. She does not experience any discomfort; she leads the same active lifestyle as before the operation. What has changed is her worldview: life has sparkled with new colors, self-esteem has increased, and the reflection in the mirror, as if by magic, invariably evokes a feeling of harmony in the soul.

If you want to get amazing buttocks, call and make an appointment with a plastic surgeon by calling the clinic and 5.