Subcutaneous injection is a technique in which a drug is given, with a needle, in the layer of fat under the skin, that is, in body fat, mainly in the abdominal area.
This is the ideal type of technique for administering certain injectable drugs at home, as it is easy to apply, allows a gradual release of the drug and also presents fewer health risks compared to intramuscular injection.
- Subcutaneous injection is almost always used to administer insulin or to apply enxaparin at home.
- As it is a recurrent practice after surgery or when treating clot-related problems.
- Such as stroke or deep vein thrombosis.
- For example.
The technique for administering a subcutaneous injection is reactively simple, and you should follow step by step:
This technique can be practiced on parts of the body that have some accumulation of fat, but it is important that each injection makes a change of site, even if it is in the same part of the body, leaving at least 1 cm of the site.. Previous.
For a person with low body fat or a small crease, only 2/3 of the needle should be inserted to avoid reaching the muscle.When bending the skin, it is also important to avoid exerting excessive pressure on the skin, so as not to trap muscle with adipose tissue.
The best places to make a subcutaneous injection are those where there is a greater accumulation of fat, so among the most commonly used are:
The area around the navel is one of the largest reserves of body fat and is therefore almost always used as the first option to administer subcutaneous injections. Also, at this point, it is almost impossible to grab the abdominal muscle with the crease.so it’s a very safe place to give the injection.
The main care to take in this place is to make the injection more than 1 cm from the navel.
The arm may be another area used for this type of injection, as it also contains fat accumulation sites, such as the back and side of the area between the elbow and shoulder.
In this area, it may be more difficult to bend without holding the muscle, so care should be taken to separate the two tissues before administering the injection.
Finally, the injection can also be given to the thighs, as it is another place where fat accumulation is most important, especially in women, although this is not the most commonly used site, the thigh may be a good choice when the abdomen and arms have been used several times in a row.
Subcutaneous injection is quite safe; However, as with any drug injection technique, some complications may occur, including:
These complications can occur in all cases, but are most common when subcutaneous injections are required for very long periods of time.
If any of these symptoms appear and do not improve after a few hours, it is important to go to the hospital and see a doctor.