If you are undergoing treatment for infertility, you will likely have to give yourself daily injections. With some prior knowledge and practice, your daily injections can be made a lot easier.
This article offers five tips to reduce the pain associated with at-home fertility injections.
If you still experience pain, you may be able to use an over-the-counter numbing cream containing lidocaine, either on its own or with ice application. There is also a prescription numbing cream called Emla that contains both lidocaine and prilocaine.
Do not use a numbing agent without first speaking with your doctor.
Four sites can be used to give an intramuscular injection:
The upper arm just below the shoulderThe outer or middle part of the thighThe muscular part of the hip just behind the hip boneThe upper muscular part of the buttock
Choosing the right site is necessary to avoid injury and ensure the proper absorption of the medicine. Pick a site that has a large, definable muscle with little fat covering it. (For example, the lower part of the buttocks may be too fatty for a needle to reach the muscle.)
If you notice bruising or pain, rotate your injection site. Rotating can help reduce pain when ongoing injections are needed. It may also reduce the risk of tissue scarring.
Tensing up won’t make injecting yourself easier, so position yourself in a way that reduces tension in your muscles. You may need to lie down or bend over a table, but a relaxed muscle will hurt a lot less than a tense one.
The best sites for subcutaneous injections are those that provide an ample injection site and are well away from joints, nerves, and large blood vessels. These include:
The upper outer area of the armThe front and outer sides of the thighsThe abdomen (except around the navel)The upper outer area of the buttocksThe upper hip
You need to be able to pinch the skin for an ample injections site. If you can’t, select another body part.
As with intramuscular injections, try rotating your injection site if you experience pain or bruising.
Remembering the reason can also help you keep any discomfort you feel in perspective. When it comes to fertility treatments, remind yourself that the injections are not forever.
Certainly, with intramuscular injections, it is sometimes easier for a partner to inject you, say, in the hip or buttock than for you to do it yourself.
Ensure that you or the person who is administering the shot gets appropriate training from your healthcare provider or another healthcare professional. Learning the correct way to inject yourself can make a big difference between a painful and possibly unsafe injection and a safe, pain-free injection.
It is also important to remember that self-injection is not possible for all people. Don’t beat yourself up about if you can’t; many people aren’t able to inject themselves.
If you have problems injecting yourself, have a friend or family member do it for you.
Allow the medicine to come to room temperature (but do not heat it). Always use a new needle. Used ones are not only unsterile but can be blunt. Position the needle at 90 degrees to the injection site. Stick the needle in quickly.
If injecting the buttocks, lie on your side or face down. If injecting the thigh, recline back with the leg extended. If injecting the shoulder, let the arm hang loosely to the side.
High fever with chillsWorsening injection site pain, redness, heat, or swellingA pus-like discharge from the injection siteSpreading redness, rash, or streaks (signs of cellulitis)Sudden severe rash and breathing problems (signs of anaphylaxis)
