A person may be in a situation where he will need to be given an intramuscular injection. At the same time, it sometimes happens that you have to ask relatives to perform injections. In some cases, you need to know how to give yourself an injection yourself. However, experts recommend, if possible, injections in specialized medical institutions.
Procedure description
It is believed that the safest and most convenient place to make an intramuscular injection is the buttock area. In this zone there are many lymphatic and blood vessels. This results in faster absorption of the drug. For injection, the place of the buttock is selected, in which there is a significant layer of tissue, large vessels and nerve endings do not pass near the injection. Before the introduction of the drug, the zone is divided into four parts. An intramuscular injection is made in the upper outer square. If the injection is made in another part of the buttock, the sciatic nerve may be damaged. This, in turn, can cause complete or partial paralysis of the limbs.
The length of the syringe needle depends onthe thickness of the subcutaneous fat layer of the patient. Intramuscular injection is recommended to be carried out in the supine position on the side or on the stomach. In the first case, the leg located on top should be bent at the knee. When lying on your stomach, your toes should be turned inward. This ensures maximum relaxation of the muscles, so the needle enters freely.
The volume of the syringe depends on the amount of the drug being injected. Before the injection, you must wash your hands or wipe them with wipes soaked in an antiseptic alcohol-containing solution. If the medicine is in the form of a powder, then distilled water or novocaine should be added to it. The container with the drug must be shaken, then draw the medication into the syringe and lightly tap on its body. This will cause air bubbles to rise to the base of the needle. Before administration, a small amount of the drug must be released. Air will come out with it.
Drug administration
If the patient is overweight, it is recommended to stretch the skin slightly, and if the patient is thin, on the contrary, pinch the skin a little. The most crucial moment is the process of inserting the needle itself. According to experts, the more decisive the action, the less pain. The cap should be removed from the needle and injected into the muscle with a quick movement. The medicine must be injected by gently pressing the syringe plunger.
If the needle went a little deeper the first time, it's okay. The next time, making an intramuscular injection, you need to be more careful. After the injection of the drug, holding the skin, carefully remove the needle. The injection site is pressed with cotton soaked in alcohol. In order to make the movements more confident, experts recommend practicing on some kind of fruit, orange or grapefruit, for example.
