Injections are less painful if you don't look away??

[dilli-theclaw]

So says a new report

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/he...sts-claim.html

What do you think?

I never look. Well I try not to.

I've had and still have injections in my eyes (so can't look away at those - and also where a certain member wanted a tattoo on a regular basis both of which I think hurt a lot.

But when I have blood tests I never look and I find it much easier as I tense up when I see the needle coming.

[peanut]

I seem to have blood tests every other week nowadays, and I don't look, but I try to relax as much as possible. I don't think it will ease pain as if I see the needle going in as then I'd expect pain and think more about it.

Still I just wish people were better at taking blood tests as lately it seems like I get 1 good one in about 10. So in my opinion there's too much difference to know if an injection/BT hurts or not (looking at it or not). If done right, you hardly feel a thing anyway, but done bad, you hit the roof and takes a good few days at least for the swelling and pain to die down.

My opinion is all Horlicks whether you look or not. If you look away, you're tensed up waiting for it, looking at it might ease the tension, maybe the expectancy of it, so maybe they think of it that way. As I said, tense up to start with, get the veins pumping, then at the time of the needle, relax the muscles as much as you can would seem to do the same job as looking if that's what they are getting at.

Unless they are putting a needle in the wrist for blood gases, I don't think you can look at it as your head normally is through the ceiling and you can see through the tears.

[Angua]

True. Watched the nurse give me a Rubella vaccination in my thigh following the birth of my daughter and did not flinch. A friend also watching was astonished by the lack of reaction.

[Derek]

Not for me. Any time I'm getting an injection or giving blood I have to look away, I've tried watching a few times which seems to make the pain a lot worse.

[joglynne]

i have frequent blood samples taken and injections given by several different people and can honestly say that whether I watch or not makes far less difference than the skill of the person at the other end of the needle.

[Sasha222]

I never look when getting a blood test done. The thoughts of looking at the needle going in to my arm turns my stomach.

[dilli-theclaw]

Originally Posted by joglynne

i have frequent blood samples taken and injections given by several different people and can honestly say that whether I watch or not makes far less difference than the skill of the person at the other end of the needle.

There's a lot to be said for that, some of the injections I give myself (not the diabetic ones) - I'm sure don't actually hurt all that much, it's how bad I am at doing it and where I do it