How to Properly Administer an Intramuscular Injection

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This step by step guide should give you an idea of how to safely self-administer an intramuscular injection.

Okay. So you are ready for your first cycle. You have all your gear, now all you have to do is figure out how to inject it.


What You Will Need
- a relatively clean are to inject
- vial of medicine to be injected
- luer lock syringe and needle for drawing medication
- proper length and gauge needle for injecting
- alcohol swabs
- a container to safely dispose of needles afterward

Preparing the Injection

Step 1
- Thoroughly wash hands using an antibacterial soap and warm water

Step 2
- Swab the rubber stopper on the vial with an alcohol pad and let air dry

Step 3
- Peel apart the wrapping on the syringe and gently tighten the needle in a clockwise direction

Step 4
- Pull back on the plunger to draw about 1cc of air into the syringe, then take the cap off of the needle and insert it through the rubber stopper at a 90 degree angle. Be careful with the uncapped needle. Do not let it come into contact with anything else. Never swab the needle either, it is already sterile.

Step 5
- Turn the vial upside down so the the top is facing down and your needle is facing up. Depress the plunger to dispel the air. Then, making sure the tip of the needle is in the solution, draw back on the plunger until you have reached your desired amount. Pull the needle straight out and recap.



Step 6
- unscrew the needle used to draw the medication and screw on the needle that will be used to inject

Administering the Injection

Step 1
- Find the desired injection area and swab with alcohol and allow to air dry.
*I like to mark the area first by making an indent with the cap of the needle.

Step 2
- Uncap the needle and insert slowly or in a darting motion, whichever is more comfortable for you. Make sure you are injecting at a 90 degree angle.



Step 3
- Aspirate. This is extremely important. You may have read or heard of others who don't perform this. It is unsafe not to do so. To aspirate you will want to gently pull back on the plunger to check for blood. If you get bubbles you are safe to inject there. If you get blood you can pull the needle back slightly and redirect (making sure to aspirate again) or remove it completely, change the tip, and try again.

Step 4
- Once you have successfully aspirated you are now safe to depress the plunger steadily and slowly until all of the medication has been dispensed. You want to allow the oil time to dissipate and slower injections are generally less sore. This is especially important for large volumes.

Step 5
- Pull the needle straight out, cap it and dispose of in the proper container. If there is any bleeding apply an alcohol swab to the area an apply pressure until bleeding stops. You can also gently massage the area to ease post injection soreness.


Common Injection Sites

Two of the most common areas include:

Dorsogluteal


Deltoids


Happy Growing!

NOTE: The most important thing to remember throughout the process is sterility. It cannot be stressed enough.