In the past, butt injections were a part of many people's childhood, and they became almost synonymous with treating minor ailments and pains, when it seemed to be a quick relief for colds, fevers, or other minor infections.
This form of treatment is popular partly because of its relatively low cost and partly because of its quick results, which have faded into obscurity over time.
So, should we abandon the traditional treatment of "butt injection" altogether, or should we keep it as an option in specific circumstances?
1. Why is the "butt needle" gone?
I still remember when I was a child, it was common to get sick and have a fever, and every time I went to the hospital, the doctor would write a prescription full of the names of various medicines, and there would always be a red application form with a big "note" on it.
Parents will sign helplessly after seeing it, and then lead their children to the injection room behind the hospital to line up for injections.
At that time, intramuscular injection was the main means of treating diseases, and when we were sick, we could only lie on the cold iron bed, allowing the cold needle tips to pierce the muscles, leaving a painful stinging sensation, especially in the hot summer, when the viscous liquid was injected into the body, adding a heat and discomfort.
The pungent smell of disinfectant water filled the injection room, and whenever I watched others give injections, I was always scared and my legs went limp, and I wanted to flee this frightening place immediately.
However, with the advancement of medicine, the form of drug injections has gradually changed, and in order to reduce the pain caused by injections, doctors have invented more gentle methods such as intramuscular injections and subcutaneous injections.
At the same time, a variety of new injectables have been developed, such as pre-filled syringes, painless syringes, etc., which are designed with the patient's experience in mind, making injections more comfortable and convenient.
More importantly, with the continuous development of pharmaceutical technology in mainland China, pharmaceutical companies have also developed many drugs that have been made into oral tablets, capsules or syrup, completely bidding farewell to the era of intramuscular injection.
Nowadays, oral administration has become the preferred method of administration for most drugs because it is safe and convenient, and patients can simply swallow the drug without having to endure the pain of injection.
In the past, the "butt needle" that made the majority of children talk about it has gradually withdrawn from the stage of history, and now it is rare to see the scene of intramuscular injection in medical institutions, and it is replaced by a safer and more convenient way of administration.
2. The risk of spanking injections
When I heard that I was going to get an injection, I really wanted to get into the cracks of the ground, crying and making trouble, and refused to live or die. Now that I think about it, I was afraid not only of the pain, but also of the long, slender needle.
However, there is one thing to say, the injection is really not a joke, if the operation is not done properly, it will damage the sciatic nerve, which is a large nerve in charge of the thigh and the whole leg, and when there is a problem, the legs and feet will be numb, painful, and even paralyzed.
In the past, everyone did not have enough understanding of this risk, and felt that an injection could cause something serious, so both doctors and patients felt that intramuscular injection was very convenient, the drug effect was absorbed quickly, and the operation was simple.
However, in recent years, due to the popularization of medical knowledge, people have become more and more aware of this risk, and many doctors have begun to prefer safer injection methods such as subcutaneous injection and intravenous injection.
Speaking of which, this sciatic nerve injury is not uncommon for adults, but it is more likely to occur when a child is given an injection. This is mainly because the child's buttock muscles are not fully developed, and the position of the sciatic nerve is relatively superficial, and if you are not careful, the needle is easy to puncture the nerve.
In addition, if the needle is inserted at the wrong angle or too deep due to improper operation, the risk of nerve damage will be increased.
Therefore, the pediatrics of many hospitals now try to avoid intramuscular injection of the buttocks for children, and if they can be replaced by other methods, they will try to use other methods.
In the past, when infusions were made, some drugs needed to be injected intramuscularly, but now they are also changed to intravenous injections as much as possible.
Of course, it does not mean that intramuscular injection is completely unusable, if it is a drug such as penicillin, it still needs to be injected intramuscularly, but the doctor must strictly follow the specifications when operating, so as to avoid damage to the sciatic nerve to the greatest extent.
As a patient, you should also know more about this area, and if the doctor wants to give you or your child intramuscular injections, you can ask if there are any alternatives, or learn about the doctor's experience, so that you can feel more at ease.