Many people use injection therapy. This is because the body takes advantage of the active substance faster in this way, in addition to the fact that oral medications present a problem for the digestive system for some people. Most of the time, people who are injected suffer from pain or swelling at the injection site. In this article, we will talk about the causes and how to treat swelling at the injection site.

Causes of injection site swelling

Injection site pain or swelling is usually caused by the body’s immune response to the injection site. You may get a small amount of pain or redness when using an intramuscular or subcutaneous injection. This warning is included in most vaccines’ information sheets.

There are some other causes of swelling, such as:

• tissue inflammation, This may occur because the injection tool or injection site is not sterilized before the needle is inserted.
• giving the injection the wrong way, This causes internal bleeding at the injection site.
• weakened immune system, Swelling at the injection site may also occur, due to a weakened immune system of the person receiving the injection.

Treatment of swelling at the injection site

Procedures for treating injection site swelling include:

• For those experiencing pain or redness, your pharmacist may recommend applying a cold compress to the site of swelling.
• Those who suffer from itching, antihistamines may be appropriate for them.
• For those experiencing pain and swelling, over-the-counter pain relievers may be appropriate to treat swelling at the injection site.
• Those suffering from bleeding, it can be treated by applying pressure until the bleeding stops and containing the bleeding at the site, then covering the site with an adhesive bandage or pressure, then applying antipyretics.

In addition to the previous procedures, there are some Important tips to follow to treat injection site swelling By relieving pain and swelling as much as possible, these include:

• Applying ice (ice packs) to the injection site for 30 to 60 seconds before the injection is given. The cold helps constrict capillary blood vessels that may have been punctured during the injection.
• When injecting into the abdomen, make sure that you do not inject near the belly buttonThis may bruise your stomach and cause pain.
• Use long needles as much as possible when injectingShort needles tend to cause more bruising than long needles.
• Tell your doctor if you are taking blood thinners (blood thinners) such as aspirin, warfarin, or Plavix, as you may be at greater risk of bruising in this condition.
• Ensure that the injection is at a 90° angle That is, perpendicular to your skin and not obliquely in the case of an intramuscular injection, but in the case of a subcutaneous injection, the injection may be at an oblique angle.
• A new needle should always be used or a pen cap for insulin pens; This is because reusing needles may cause more trauma to the tissues, and thus swelling of the injection site.
• Switch injection sitesRepeated injections in the same area may cause swelling and bruising, and complications may occur that lead to the appearance of scar tissue, that is, a scar.

When should I go to the doctor to treat swelling of the injection site?

Injections are a way to deliver treatment for many different health conditions and preventive care, including vaccinations.

In most cases, the injections are completely safe and cause only mild pain and discomfort, which quickly disappear. However, as with all medicines, there may be some side effects that you should contact your doctor for treatment.

Symptoms may vary from mild to more serious depending on whether the injection was given under the skin, into a vein, or into a muscle. It is a reaction that may occur due to swelling of the injection site You should contact your doctor immediately if:

1. High temperature (having a fever)

A fever that may reach and be greater than about 100°F (38.5°C) after the injection prompts you to contact your doctor. This is because a fever may indicate an infection from needle contamination or an allergic reaction to the medication itself.

2. Severe pain at the injection site

Most of the time, there is no local swelling or redness after the injection, but in some cases, the pain may be severe but not dangerous, and this may be due to the accidental collision of the muscle injection with the sciatic nerve, which requires the intervention of the doctor to treat the swelling of the injection site.

3. A bulge or swelling under the skin

While slight swelling and bruising can occur after the injection, they usually improve within a day. If the swelling and discoloration persists, this may indicate an infection.

Abnormal swelling that appears soft, tender, and painful may indicate an abscess, and is often warm to the touch and accompanied by swollen lymph nodes. In this case, you must contact the doctor to prevent the spread of infection throughout the body, and drain the abscess properly.

4. A sudden reaction of the body

After the injection, the body can experience a severe reaction (also called anaphylaxis); Because the body reacts adversely to the injected medication, causing a series of severe and potentially life-threatening symptoms.

Anaphylaxis develops very quickly and needs to be treated immediately with a dose of adrenaline, which the specialist doctor is responsible for.

Initial symptoms include:

• Runny and nasal congestion (rhinitis).
• Itchy rash.

But within about 30 minutes, more severe symptoms can appear, including:

• Cough.
• shortness of breath.
• chills.
• dizziness or fainting
• Fast or irregular heartbeat.
• facial swelling
• Swelling or itching of the lips or tongue.
• Difficulty swallowing.
• A bluish tinge to the lips, fingers, or toes.
• Pale and clammy skin.
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.

So when any of the previous symptoms appear when the injection site is swollen, you must contact the doctor immediately, as this hypersensitivity may lead to shock, coma, or even death if left untreated.