Re: needle

[Guest guest]

> Hi,

>

> What happens if the needle you use for an intramuscular injection is

> too long and you hit the bone?

>

> Can you always tell if you have hit the bone? Does it hurt? Does it

> damage the bone? Cause infection? Is the injection less effective?

Hi Sue,

Old RN here and thousands of injections later....

1) The needle does not need to be jabbed into the hilt so while it may

look too long, not all of it will be inserted into the muscle. You need

to assess the depth of muscle as to how deep you will insert the needle.

2) You can tell when you hit bone as the texture is so different. The

needle passes through muscle quite easily but typical force will not be

able to penetrate bone. I've done this on very thin patients a few

times and while it gave me a shiver, did not seem to bother the patient

at all.

3) Since the needle is sterile and you use sterile technique, there

shouldn't be any introduction of infection to the bone.

4) If one hits the bone, retract the needle a short distance so that it

is once again in muscle tissue and inject the solution into muscle

where it can be absorbed.

hope this helps, robyn

[Guest guest]

Hi Barb,

I don't really know the answers to the questions about hitting a bone, but I can tell you that I gave myself injections daily/almost daily for more than 20 years, and I never hit a bone. One gives oneself injections where there is plenty of room between entrance and bone; i.e., thigh, hip, upper arm, belly... The worst thing that happened to me was once when I apparently hit an artery and I bled pretty badly. But the bleeding stopped and I was fine.

[infections] needle

Hi,What happens if the needle you use for an intramuscular injection is too long and you hit the bone?Can you always tell if you have hit the bone? Does it hurt? Does it damage the bone? Cause infection? Is the injection less effective?Sue ,Upstate New York