Hypodermic needles may sting but they get to the point faster.

Diabetics and others must keep hypodermic needles available.

Hypodermic needles! Adults insist on them. Most children are frightened of them. And since there are only two ways to administer medications, there is no way to avoid them. Patients can either receive medications orally or through hypodermic needles. Using needles to inject drugs introduces them into the bloodstream faster. Oral medications are equally effective but it may be up to two hours before they take effect while drugs administered through hypodermic needles begin acting almost immediately.

Most medications delivered by needles are delivered intramuscularly. Muscular fibers are richly supplied with a network of blood vessels. Intramuscular injections are given with hypodermic needles in between the muscle fibers where the drug is absorbed within a few minutes into the blood. The gluteal muscle is the largest muscle in thickness and the most common area for injections. Needles are less likely to damage blood vessels, nerves or bone. The arm is used quite frequently for injection by hypodermic needles, primarily for convenience. Modesty is a factor also.

When hypodermic needles are inserted directly into the veins it is called an intravenous injection. Intravenous injections are more conveniently given in the arm veins. Usually they are given in the crook of the elbow. Also the veins around the wrist joints and upper side of the hands can be used go give intravenous injections. Patients who are seriously sick and are in intensive care units have intravenous needles all the time in their veins so that intravenous drugs can be administered at any time in an emergency.

Subcutaneous injections are given in between the skin and muscles. The most common injection taken by this route is Insulin for diabetes. Special hypodermic needles are available for this purpose. These are usually 1/2" in size and hardly cause any pain while piercing.

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