Afraid of Vitamin B12 Shots? Here's How to Cope

Vitamin B12 shots, or injections of any type are terrifying to some people ... here's some help, if you are, or know one. by Dime Alexi, a registered nurse and a free-lance writer whose specialties include health issues

Let's face it. Vitamin B12 shots can be a necessary evil for many people. On one hand, the nutritional supplements information for vitamin B12 tells us that it is an essential nutrient in the treatment of pernicious anemia - individuals suffering from it require lifelong consumption of the supplement - as well as in other symptoms of cobalamin deficiency. On the other hand, these injections can be excruciatingly painful because of their method of administration either deep under the skin (subcutaneous) or into the muscle (intramuscular).

So, you may consider yourself as caught between staying healthy and succumbing to the fear of needles. The good news is that there are ways to lessen, if not eliminate, the unpleasant feelings associated with cobalamin shots in particular and injections in general. Yes, the injections will still hurt - it's a needle puncturing skin, after all - but you will be able to cope with them in a better way.

Mind Tricks

You may want to play mind tricks before, during and after the Vitamin B12 shots. Before the injection, you must stay calm in whatever way is most comfortable for your personality. You may listen to your favorite music, read a book, and watch television in the doctor's clinic while waiting for your name to be called.

If nervousness attacks, you can practice deep breathing techniques to calm down your nerves. Creative visualization is also an effective mind-over-matter technique where you envision the process every step of the way in the most positive terms possible. Basically, it adheres to the New Age adage about the body achieving what the mind can conceive.

During the shot, it is best to hold somebody else's hands for moral support. Your best friend or spouse or parent can come along to hold your hand while the doctor or nurse administers one in a series of Vitamin B12 shots over the next few days and months.

After the injection, you can praise yourself for coming through the process without going into a panic attack. You must also thank your doctor and your supporter since they assisted in the process. Once you have successfully coped with the first injection, you will be more confident in the succeeding injections.

Physical Tips

Well, of course, we understand that the injections are not just about the mind playing tricks over the body in a good way. You can also adopt certain physical things to ease the pain during and after the injections. These tips for lessening the physical pain of Vitamin B12 shots include:

• Relax the muscles where the injection site is located. You may think it impossible but it is necessary since tense muscles can make it more difficult for the needle to pass through the skin and the muscle.
  
  
• Ask for small ice cube or a numbing cream to be rubbed on the injection site, if possible. This way, you will feel less of the sting at the point of entry.
  
  
• Ask the doctor or nurse when to massage the injection site. Massage helps to spread the injected contents in a faster manner while also easing the muscular pain.

There is no reason to skip on your Vitamin B12 injections just because of your fear of needles. Just follow the abovementioned tips and you can love it that these injections are saving your life.

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