Why do needle sticks hurt? Reducing the pain of local anesthetic injection
One reason patients think twice about having local anesthetic is the fear of painful injections. There is no consistently good way to remove all of the pain of the injection, although topical local anesthetic agents, like ice or EMLA, have been used. However it is possible to minimize the discomfort. There are several factors that make the shots hurt more.
Acidity of solution: because lidocaine is acid it burns when it is injected . This can be reduced by mixing bicarbonate with the injection just before it is given.
Depth of the injection: injections into the superficial parts of the skin will hurt more than when injected into the deep layers and beneath the skin.
Speed of injection: injecting as slowly as the needle is removed will also make the pain less.
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injections. There is no consistently good way to remove all of the pain of the injection, although topical local anesthetic agents, like ice or EMLA, have been used. However it is possible to minimize the discomfort. There are several factors that make the shots hurt more.
