A new method to reduce pin-prick pain of intra-muscular and subcutaneous injections

Abstract

Aim: Although about 10% of the normal population is thought to be needle-phobic, no method to reduce pin-prick pain is currently available for large scale application. We describe a new simple and easy-to-do method to reduce pin-prick pain through the pressure of multiple blunt pins at the injection site.

Methods: Two-hundred and twelve patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups. The treated group (n= 106) received intramuscular and subcutaneous injections with the application of the blunt pins and the control group (n= 106) with a placebo device. Pain was tested with the visual analogue scale on a 0 (no pain)-10 (maximum pain) scale.

Results: After intramuscular injections a significant (P< 0.0001) pain reduction in the treated group compared to placebo was observed: 1.90+/-1.27 versus 5.16+/-1.37 (mean pain reduction: 63.2%); 88.5% of the patients in the treated group and 11.4% in placebo group rated the pain as = or < 3. After subcutaneous injections mean reported pain in the treated group compared to placebo was: 0.32+/-0.51 versus 2.61+/-0.77 (mean pain reduction: 87.7%) (P< 0.0001); 95.1% of the patients in the treated group and 9.8% in the placebo rated the pain as = or <1. No side effects were observed.

Conclusions: Multiple blunt pins pressure on the skin, at the time of intramuscular or subcutaneous injection is able to significantly reduce pin-prick pain. The underlying physiological mechanisms are briefly discussed.