How to give an intramuscular injection correctly? How to properly give an intramuscular injection to yourself

There are times when you need to know how to properly inject yourself in the leg. Sometimes there is simply no time to go to the clinic for procedures to receive the injections prescribed by the doctor. And it happens that the condition may suddenly worsen and you will need immediate help for yourself. For example, for joint pain, an injection of Diclofenac (the most accessible and widespread drug) is used. This medicine non-steroidal structure has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.

Depending on the purpose of treatment, injections are given intramuscularly, subcutaneously and intravenously.

Medicine is injected under the skin when it is necessary for the drug to act on the body gradually.

If an immediate effect is needed, an injection into a vein is given, but this procedure is complex and requires medical training, so it should only be performed by nurses.

Most often, intramuscular injections are made into the shoulder, thigh, and buttock.

You can give the injection yourself intramuscularly.

A suitable injection site is the thigh muscle.

To find a place for an injection, you need to place your hand on your leg so that your fingertips reach your knee. Where the base of the palm lies is a safe place for injection. At the same time, look - large blood vessels should not be visible here. Injections are not given on the back of the leg above the knees. By the way, when you need to administer medicine to small children or weakened, emaciated people, you need to pull the skin into a fold so that the syringe gets into the muscle.

How to give an injection

Wash your hands with soap before giving the injection. Prepare necessary materials and items:

  • alcohol;
  • cotton swabs or alcohol wipes;
  • disposable syringe (size depends on how much you need to inject medicinal product);
  • medicine in ampoules.

First you need to shake the ampoule with the drug, then run a file along the tip of the ampoule and break it off. Then draw the medicine into the syringe. Release the air formed in the syringe in the form of bubbles by tapping the syringe. Slowly release a drop of the medicine to see that all the air has come out.

To find the injection site, sit with your knee bent. Then you need to relax the leg muscle. Clean the injection site with alcohol. Taking the syringe in your hand, firmly insert the needle into the muscle to a depth of 1-2 cm. Slowly press the plunger thumb. To prevent infection, carefully remove the needle and press a cotton swab moistened with alcohol to the injection site.

Useful tips on how to give an injection in the leg:

  1. To prevent your leg from hurting so much and the same muscle from suffering, give the injection alternately in one leg and then in the other.
  2. Buy imported syringes that have better quality needles.
  3. It is better to throw away used syringes.

Complications after injection

It happens that after an injection into the muscle the leg is taken away. This happens because a nerve has been hit. Usually this goes away on its own. If pain persists for several hours, you should consult a doctor who will prescribe treatment.

Itching after injection appears because the wounds from the injections begin to heal.

If the skin immediately begins to itch after the injection, then this may be an allergic reaction. In this case, immediately after the medicine enters the bloodstream, a reaction begins in the form of redness of the skin and sudden itching. Then it is better to carry out the procedure in a medical institution, but not at home. Any such symptoms should be reported to your doctor or nurse. If the allergy is mild, it will be enough to take an anti-allergy pill, and if it is severe, then the doctor may decide to inject the medicine into a vein.

Sometimes after the injection you feel that your leg is numb. To find out the cause, the doctor may do an ultrasound of the soft tissues.

If the injection was given incorrectly

It is important to know how to give an injection correctly, otherwise you may encounter undesirable effects:

  • hematoma (bruises);
  • infiltrate (compaction or bumps).

A hematoma occurs when the medicine is injected too quickly and the needle damages the blood vessels. These bruises usually do not require special treatment.

When the medicine is not absorbed, an infiltrate forms. Sometimes he worries for a long time, and then an abscess (abscess) may appear on its basis. The reason is the entry of harmful microbes into the body through the injection wound. Signs of infection - the skin turns red, the leg hurts. If this complication occurs, you should consult a doctor who will determine treatment options.

Choosing the wrong injection can damage nerve endings. In this case, injections of B vitamins are usually prescribed.

To avoid complications it is necessary:

  • follow the rules of asepsis;
  • choose the right injection site;
  • use a high-quality syringe with a sharp needle;
  • Follow the injection technique and administer the medicine slowly.

But you can’t always give yourself an injection yourself. So, if you have a heel spur, you need to get an injection in the heel of your foot in a medical facility. But the treatment of this disease is carried out comprehensively. First, ointments and gels are used to relieve inflammation. They are combined with physiotherapeutic procedures. If all the remedies have been tried, and the leg pain does not subside, then a heel spur is blocked using an injection in the heel.

You need to learn how to inject yourself. Only then proceed with this important procedure.

Doctors often replace taking pills with injections. The fact is that if you give injections, the drug will give a stronger, faster, safer therapeutic effect. Medicines don't work digestive system, therefore, do not harm the stomach, intestines, or liver. However, treatment is rarely done with one injection - more often you need to give a series of injections (from a couple of days to several months). Not everyone can afford to go to the clinic every time or hire a nurse. Sometimes you have to learn how to give injections - to a relative, a friend, or yourself. Now we will tell you how to properly, safely, and painlessly give an injection in the thigh.

The injection must be given only in top part hips.

Before giving the injection, prepare the area where the patient will be. Lay down clean sheets. Keep children and pets away. Make sure there is no dust or food debris around. The patient's clothing should be clean. Wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap. Remove the syringe from the package; do not remove the needle cap yet. Prepare 5-6 cotton balls. Open a bottle of 70% alcohol.

As soon as the place for the procedure and the preparations are prepared, take an ampoule of medical solution, open it, wipe the neck with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol. Remove the cap from the syringe and draw up the medicine. Cover the needle with the tip again.
If you are using a powder rather than a finished drug, it must first be diluted with saline solution. Pierce the ampoule of the solution, take the required amount (as indicated in the instructions for the drug), add the liquid into the flask with the powder, and shake. Attention: you cannot use the same needle to collect saline solution and administer the finished drug.

Stage two: determine where to inject

The area where the injection should be given is determined as follows: Have the person sit down (or sit down yourself if you are injecting yourself). The lateral part of the thigh, flattened in this pose, will be the desired zone (mentally divide it into three parts - you need the upper one). Remember the location.

Why should the injection be given here? Here is minimum number no nerve endings large arteries. It is safe to prick into this square - the risk of breaking the needle on the bone is minimal. It is also safe to inject into the upper lateral thigh because you will not touch the area of ​​the sciatic nerve, which is extremely painful to hit. You cannot inject into the back of the thigh below the buttocks.

Before inserting a needle, it is necessary to treat the desired area of ​​the body with alcohol.

Stage three: insert the needle

The patient should take a comfortable position. Give the injection while standing with your leg bent (45 degree angle) or lying on your back (this position is preferable - it is more relaxed). Wipe an area of ​​10 × 10 cm with alcohol applied to a cotton swab. Then moisten another cotton swab and treat a smaller square of skin (approximately 5 × 5 cm) - it is in this area that you should prick.
Begin to carefully insert the needle into the area of ​​the thigh treated with alcohol - 1–2 cm into the muscle. It is recommended to check whether the needle has entered the lumen of the vessel. To do this, without removing the syringe, pull the plunger towards you a few millimeters (be careful that it does not pop out). If no blood comes into the syringe, then everything is fine. Administer the medication. Press the syringe plunger and inject the medical solution. That's it, now take out the needle. Immediately apply a clean cotton swab with alcohol to the injection site. Hold the cotton wool for 2-3 minutes. At the end of the procedure, throw away the used syringe with an empty ampoule in trash can. Make sure that they are not accessible to small children.

To make the injection as safe, quick and painless as possible, follow these tips:

  • Before injecting, pat the skin a couple of times to get the blood flowing.
  • Do not inject in the same place - it is better to alternate hips.
  • People with very thin builds need to gather the skin into a fold and inject into it (to avoid getting into the bone).
  • Make sure that the person receiving the injection does not strain the thigh muscles, otherwise the procedure will be uncomfortable.
  • It is advisable to use syringes with a dark rubber plunger - the administration of the medicine will be slow and painless.
  • The needle should be as thin as possible (for two-cc syringes it is thinner than for five-cc syringes).

Follow all the tips described in the article and you can easily do intramuscular injection into the femoral part of the body. There is nothing complicated about injections into the thigh area. With a little practice, you'll be able to administer injections as well as a trained nurse.

If at some point there is a need to give yourself an injection, then it is very important to know how this procedure should be carried out. After all, doctors quite often have to include injections in the treatment package. And usually, no problem arises if one of your friends or relatives knows how to perform them.

These procedures can be carried out independently, as they are not particularly difficult. The most important thing is not to panic, arrive at calm state, strictly follow some instructions and then the question of how to give an injection in the leg or thigh will disappear by itself.

What will it take?

Before the procedure, you will need to prepare everything you need. To inject yourself you will need:

  1. 1. A single-use syringe with a volume of 2.5-11 ml, depending on how much of the drug you need to administer. It is also important to note that you should choose a syringe, taking into account the area for injection. If you need to make intramuscular injections, then you need to choose a syringe with the longest needle. And if a subcutaneous injection is required, then with a short needle.
  2. 2. Ampoule with medicine
  3. 3. Alcohol for disinfecting injection sites
  4. 4. Napkins, cotton balls or disks

Then you will need to prepare a syringe with the drug:

  • With sterile, clean hands, you need to take the ampoule, treat it with alcohol, shake it using a special file and saw off the tip of the ampoule. It is advisable to file 1 cm from the beginning.
  • Wrap the tip of the ampoule with a cotton swab and carefully break it off.
  • The cap is removed from the syringe needle, after which the syringe with the needle is inserted into the ampoule to the bottom.
  • After you have drawn the medicine into the syringe, hold the syringe vertically several times with a light movement and tap it with your fingertip. This is required so that the remaining excess air collects at the top.
  • Slowly and gently pressing down on the plunger will release air bubbles through the needle. And as soon as a drop appears at its tip, we can assume that the syringe is ready for use.
  • All that remains is to select the area for the injection.

Before the procedure, it is advisable to take the most comfortable position. Doctors recommend giving the injection while turning halfway to the mirror. However, the injection is possible and is also permitted in a side lying position. It is also important to take care in advance that the surface in this case is smooth and sufficiently hard.

How to give an injection in the thigh? In fact, to give an injection in the thigh, you will first need to first determine the future injection area. Therefore, first you will need to sit on a chair, and then bend your leg at the knee. From the side, exactly that part of the thighwhich willslightlyhang downon the chairand will be a suitable area for injection.

When inserting, it is recommended to hold the syringe in the same way as a writing pen, so as not to harm the periosteum. The most recommended place for intramuscular injections in the thigh is the literal muscle, since it is equally well developed in both adults and small children.

It is better to inject into the middle third of the muscle. To determine the right place, you need to position your right hand so that it is about 2 centimeters lower femur. The other hand will need to be positioned so that it rises two centimeters above the patella, and the thumbs of both hands should be in line. On education with the help thumbs Both hands are exactly the place for the future injection.

When administering a drug intramuscularly with a syringe, in a small child or an exhausted adult, it is necessary to grasp an area of ​​skin so that a fold is formed. This will help ensure that the medicine will be injected into the muscle. At this moment, the patient should be in a supine position, with the leg slightly bent at the knee, into which the liquid will be injected. But intramuscular injections can also be given in a sitting position. In this case, the needle should be inserted at an angle of 90 degrees.

The technique for performing an injection into the thigh consists of the following several stages:

  • It is necessary to sterilize your hands
  • Sitting on a chair, bend your leg at the knee, where the injection area is located.
  • Wipe this area with a cotton pad, which must first be moistened with alcohol.
  • Before the injection, it is important that the leg is as relaxed as possible
  • Quickly but carefully insert the needle about 2/3 into the area previously disinfected with alcohol.
  • Lightly press the piston, injecting the medicine inside
  • Apply a cotton pad soaked in alcohol tightly to the injection site, and then quickly remove the needle.
  • You can lightly massage the area of ​​skin after the injection to help the medicine dissolve faster.

An intramuscular injection into the thigh is not much different from how to properly inject yourself into the leg. The same technique and the same rules. But you can add a few more tips:

  • So that after some time the leg does not start to hurt due to injections into the same muscle, it is completely allowed to give injections to each leg in turn - first in one, and next time in the other.
  • It is best to purchase imported syringes, which have the best quality needles.
  • Syringes that have been used once cannot be reused. After one use, it is better to throw them away.

Among other things, it is also worth noting that not in all cases you can inject yourself in the leg. For example, if a heel spur occurs, an injection is given in the heel in special medical institutions. However, treatment in this situation is complex. At the first stage, they limit themselves to the use of various special ointments and gels that help relieve inflammation. This also includes physiotherapeutic procedures. And only if these methods are not beneficial, and the pain in the leg does not disappear, then they resort to special injections into the heel.

Basic rules and safety precautions

To give intramuscular injections, you must adhere to necessary equipment security:

  • It is important that the future area of ​​skin for injection is not inflamed. That is, there should not be any open wounds or damage. If they are present, it is recommended to find another area.
  • Periodically alternating injection sites to avoid damaging the skin.
  • Well, as mentioned above, it is strictly prohibited reuse syringes and needles. After the procedure, they must be disposed of.

What complications can arise after an incorrect injection?

The most common evidence that a previously performed procedure was performed incorrectly is the appearance of hematomas. They may occur due to the fact that small vessels may have been damaged during the injection process, or perhaps the medicine was administered too quickly.

The bruise gradually disappears on its own after a short period of time, so no additional treatment is required in this case.

If the medicine has not completely dissolved, you can apply warm compresses to the injection site or use special pharmaceutical ointments.

The most unpleasant of all complications can be the formation of an abscess, but it is much more dangerous. It can be easily identified, since a slight induration, redness, mild pain and, in some cases, itching may appear at the injection site. It may be the result of an allergic reaction. In this case, it is recommended to give injections not independently, but in special medical centers. It is better not to remain silent about such cases and report to your doctor or nurse. If the allergic reaction is not severe, then you can only get by with taking antiallergic medications. But if the manifestation is severe, then the doctor will most likely prescribe intravenous injections.

The cause of an abscess in most cases is a banal failure to comply with safety rules, hygiene standards, or an injection into an undisinfected area of ​​the skin.

In such a situation it is required compulsory application see a doctor. And in the future, touching this place, as well as massaging or applying any compresses, are contraindicated. In this case, special treatment is required only if it is prescribed by the attending physician. In particularly advanced situations, surgical intervention may be required to resolve the problem.

The procedures for administering intramuscular injections actually do not pose any particular difficulties. The most important thing is to choose the right places for injections and follow general rules hygiene and, of course, mandatory disinfection. However, if there is still even the slightest doubt and lack of confidence in your abilities, then it is better not to take risks and not be too lazy to seek help with the procedures from a doctor in order to avoid complications that, through ignorance, you can inflict on yourself.

how to give an injection in the leg?

  1. So, intramuscular injections can be given:
    - in the buttock (the simplest and most common option),
    - in the thigh (we will stop there),
    - in the hand.

    If the doctor insisted on performing intramuscular injections in the thigh, or for some reason you are not able to perform an intramuscular injection in the buttock, do not be discouraged - placing an intramuscular injection in the thigh is not much more difficult than in the gluteal part.

    What you will need

    Cotton balls soaked in 96 alcohol
    - three-component syringe 2.5 - 11 ml (depending on the volume of medication prescribed for administration),
    - the drug prescribed for administration.

    Preparation

    1. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap.
    2. Take the ampoule with the medicine, wipe thoroughly with alcohol.
    3. Shake it well.
    4. File and break off the tip, draw the medicine into the syringe.
    5. Then tap the syringe with your finger to collect all the air bubbles at the top of the syringe into one, and little by little press the plunger to “push” the air bubble through the needle.
    6. To make sure that there is no more air in the syringe, wait until the first drop of medicine appears from the needle.

    Performing an injection

    To determine the injection site, you need to sit on a stool and bend your knee. The injection site will be the upper third of the lateral surface of the thigh, i.e. the lateral part of the thigh, the muscle that hangs slightly

    How to properly give an intramuscular injection in the thigh?

    1. Before performing the injection, relax your leg as much as possible.
    2. The depth of needle insertion is 1-2 centimeters.
    3. Take two cotton swabs and, one by one, lubricate the injection site with alcohol.
    4. Retract your hand with the syringe and, at an angle of 90 degrees to the surface, insert the needle into the muscle with a decisive movement.
    5. Slowly pressing the plunger with your right thumb, inject the medicine (caution: if you are using an outdated syringe design - two-part - with one hand, you may not be able to inject. In this case, it is better right hand hold the syringe barrel, press the piston with your left hand).
    6. Using a cotton swab soaked in alcohol, press the injection site and quickly remove the needle at an angle of 90 degrees. This will stop bleeding and reduce the risk of infection entering the body.
    7. Then massage the affected muscle. This way the medicine will be absorbed faster, and the alcohol will disinfect the wound.

    Safety rules

    1. Alternate injection sites; do not inject into the same thigh.
    2. Use only imported syringes, because their needles are thin and sharp. Also, 2 cc syringes have a thinner needle than 5 cc syringes.
    3. Never reuse a syringe or needle; the syringe must be thrown away after use!

    If you want to inject insulin, then you need a special syringe and a syringe pen and a needle no more than 5 mm long.

  2. inject into the middle of the thigh. at an angle of 90 degrees. having treated the injection site beforehand. after the injection the pain will go away =)

An injection is one of the fastest ways for medicine to enter the human body. When treating bronchitis, pneumonia or various chronic diseases, daily injections are required, as it is necessary to deliver the drug to certain organs. And if no one in your family knows how to do them, you have to call a paid nurse or visit a clinic, which is very problematic if you feel unwell. Therefore, it is better to learn how to do them yourself.

Before you take a syringe and fill it with medicine, you should familiarize yourself with how to properly inject yourself in different places.

How to give an intramuscular injection correctly?

The buttock is best suited for an intramuscular injection. We draw the medicine into the syringe, release all the air and cover the needle with a cap. Then we proceed like this:

  1. We bend the leg in the buttock of which we will prick, and transfer the center of gravity to the other, this is necessary so that the muscle relaxes and the needle enters easier.
  2. Wipe the selected area with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol.
  3. We take the syringe and remove the cap from the needle.
  4. We stick the needle perpendicularly into the muscle, it should be driven 2/3 of the entire length.
  5. Slowly introduce the medicine.
  6. We sharply remove the needle from the body and press a cotton swab soaked in alcohol to the injection site.

So that the drug is well absorbed, if the puncture does not there's blood coming out, you need to walk around or massage your buttock.

How to give a subcutaneous injection in the arm yourself?

  1. We take a syringe with the smallest needle, for example, an insulin one.
  2. Be sure to check whether all the air has been released from it.
  3. We disinfect the injection site, and then, at an angle of 45°, insert the needle under the skin. The cut on the needle must look up.
  4. We release the medicine and pull out the needle, holding the puncture site with a cotton swab. You should hold it for 5 minutes.

How to inject yourself in the leg?

We prepare the injection (draw up the medicine, release the air and close it). On the leg, injections are most often given in the front of the thigh or in the back of the calf. To give an injection in the thigh, you should:

  1. Sit down and bend your leg at the knee, and place your calf on a chair at an angle of 40-45°.
  2. We insert the needle 2/3 of the way into the disinfected area and inject the medicine at the required speed (this should be indicated by the doctor).
  3. Then pull out the needle and immediately press down with cotton wool. You need to hold it until the bleeding stops.

How to give yourself an intravenous injection?

This procedure is a little more complicated:

  1. Having prepared the syringe, we tighten the arm with a special belt or tourniquet in the place above the biceps. Having secured the tourniquet, we begin to work with our fists so that the veins swell.
  2. Having selected the largest vein, lubricate it in the elbow area with a disinfectant solution.
  3. Remove the cap and stick the needle into the vein. This can be determined by the blood that should enter the syringe if it is pulled in a little. If there is no blood, then you need to pull out the needle and start again.
  4. After getting into the vein, remove the constriction (tourniquet) and inject the required amount of medicine. Cover the injection site with an alcohol cotton swab and, holding it straight, pull out the corner.
  5. To avoid bruising, the arm should be bent at the elbow and held for 5 minutes.

If the injection is done incorrectly

Injections should be done very carefully, as they can harm your health:

But it is better to entrust injections to professional medical workers.