3 Tips to Make Vaccines Less Painful
By Chris Brown
If you're thinking about getting the vaccination for the COVID-19 shot, you might be a little apprehensive. If you're an adult, it's entirely possible that you haven't had a shot since you were a child and the years may have added a fair amount of terror to your recollection. It's understandable. Fear of the unknown can be a little scary.
For someone with a fear of needles, the cure can be as terrifying as the disease. Topical numbing agents or the thinner gauge needle might not relieve your anxiety. Medical shots are a part of modern life regardless of pandemics and having a few tricks to ease the pain can be invaluable. Three tricks for the moment of injection can make the vaccine (or any shots) less painful.
Tips to Ease the "Pain"
Don't worry, you don't have to cry when the pharmacist or doctor gives you the gentle jab. Just roll up your sleeve with a plan.
Smile (or grimace) - A study highlighted on the Curiosity Daily podcast found that participants who authentically smiled felt shots to be nearly half as painful (up to 40 percent less) as when they remained straight-faced. The same was true if the participants grimaced, so the important part was the expression itself. This makes sense when you think of the faces made during other painful actions such as weightlifting. The trick with the study is that the expression had to be sincere to work. When asked to fake smiles, participants felt no pain-relieving effects. So go ahead and make faces to ease the pain for your vaccine.
Hold your breath - Holding your breath has been shown to marginally reduce the pain of shots. The hypothesis of a 2015 study at the University of Jan in Spain was that held breath decreases nervous system sensitivity as blood pressure increases and heart rate lowers. Held breath may come naturally with a grimace, so this could be part of the pain-relieving effects of expressions.
Strike a model pose - The idea is that relaxing arm muscles during the shot process gives the needle less restriction and ultimately hurts less. A trick recommended by Nyulocal.com for relaxing your upper arm is to put your hand on your hip, like a model. This model pose contracts your shoulder blade, which relaxes the arm muscles. If you're able to relax your arm in other ways, try those and save the posing for the runway.
A trip to The Joint Chiropractic can further help relax you for the upcoming vaccine. Its sessions are affordable and walk-ins are welcome, so stop by on your way to the your next medical shot.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Queen Creek, Ariz.