Intramuscular injection, or intramuscular injection, is an injection technique used to deliver a drug deep into the muscle so it can be quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. You must have had an intramuscular injection or vaccination before.

You can use the intramuscular needle either by yourself to obtain the dose, or by a specialized person who is experienced in dealing with injections to give you the necessary dose. There are also some diseases that require self-injection, such as some medications for multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis, and in this article we will learn a picture Details of intramuscular injection.

Reasons for using a muscle needle

Intramuscular injection is one of the very common methods of administering medication. Most of the drugs and vaccinations are obtained through this method, and intramuscular injections can be resorted to when other methods are not recommended or not suitable for any reason. Other methods include:

• Take the medicine orally, whether it is capsules or tablets.
• intravenous injections
• Subcutaneous injection (which is an injection into the fat layer under the skin).
• suppositories

Some patients may be given a muscle needle instead of an intravenous injection As some drugs may cause irritation of the veins, or due to the blurring of the vein, and replace the tablets because some drugs may affect the stomach, or cause disorders in the digestive system, and the intramuscular injections are faster in effect than hypodermic needles because the muscles contain countless numbers It has blood vessels, in addition to the fact that muscle tissue can contain more drugs than tissue under the skin.

Contraindications to the use of intramuscular needles

Do not use intramuscular injections in the following cases:

• A current infection, cellulitis, or dermatitis at the injection site.
• Allergy to medication.
• Acute myocardial infarction.
• Thrombocytopenia.
• clotting problems
• myopathy
• Associated muscular atrophy.

Possible complications of intramuscular injection

There are some potential complications of intramuscular injection, including:

• Pain at the injection site.
• Infection and abscess at the injection site.
• Nerve injury.
• muscle fibrosis.
• Ulceration of the skin.
• Transmission of hepatitis B and C viruses, or HIV (when sharing needles).

You should contact your doctor immediately to take the necessary measures if the following symptoms appear after the injection:

• Severe pain at the injection site.
• Continuous or severe bleeding.
• Tingling sensation around the muscle.
• Redness and swelling at the injection site.
• Drainage from the injection site.
• Allergy symptoms such as shortness of breath and swelling.

Intramuscular injection sites

Intramuscular injections may be given in the following areas:

1- The upper arm

The injection takes place in a muscle called the deltoid muscle, and it is located in the upper arm near the shoulder. It is the most popular site for intramuscular injection of vaccines, and it is not suitable for large quantities of drugs, as it can receive only 1 ml or less, so large quantities of drugs are not injected into it.

As for a person injecting himself into this muscle, it is rare, due to the difficulty in accessing it.

2- The thigh

The thigh may be one of the proposed areas while the other areas were not suitable, or for the patient to give the injection to himself, and to find out where to inject the muscle in the thigh, divide the thigh into three equal areas, and in the area that is located in the middle, the injection site is located in the upper outer part of it .

3- The hip

It is considered one of the safest places for intramuscular injection for adults and children over the age of 7 months, because it is thick, far from the nerves, and the main blood vessels. Doctors usually give injections into a muscle called the Ventrogluteal muscle, but it may be a challenge for self-injection.

4- The buttocks

This muscle was one of the most popular muscles that doctors started intramuscular injections with, before resorting to the hip muscle, but they tend to avoid these injections now to avoid the risk of sciatic nerve injury.

How to give an intramuscular injection

The person who will give you the intramuscular injection must be a person trained in how to give injections, whether to himself or to other people, and you must consult a doctor or pharmacist to know the correct steps for giving injections according to the type of medicine and to avoid intramuscular injection errors, and the following are the most important necessary steps:

1. Wash your hands well with soap and water.
2. Prepare medical equipment such as alcohol for sterilization, a piece of cotton, an ampoule, and a new syringe. The doctor or pharmacist will tell you the type and size of the syringe required for the medicine.
3. Know the injection site, and prepare it, by massaging it to relax the muscle, then sterilize it with alcohol and a piece of cotton.
4. Prepare the medicine and the syringe: open the ampoule carefully, and follow the instructions as the doctor or pharmacist tells you, and withdraw the medicine with the syringe in the usual way, and you must make sure that there are no air bubbles by tapping gently with your finger, and pressing the piston of the syringe.
5. Injection of the drug: at an angle of 90 degrees directly to the muscle, and make sure that there is no blood inside the syringe, then push the plunger slowly until the drug is injected.
6. Remove the needle and press the injection site with a piece of cotton soaked in alcohol.

When does the effect of the intramuscular needle begin?

Intramuscular injection is one of the quickest ways to get immediate action, usually within 5 to 10 minutes.

Tips for easier injection

• A piece of ice or an over-the-counter numbing cream can be used before disinfecting the injection site with alcohol.
• It is recommended to let the alcohol dry to avoid stinging.
• The ampoule can be rubbed between the hands to warm the medicine a little.
• The muscle should be relaxed as much as possible before taking the medicine.

Finally, it is highly recommended that the drug be injected by a person trained and experienced in handling injections.