Needle Phobia
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: EGSS
Needle Phobia
Does anyone else out there suffer from this horrible phenomenon? Up until about 5 years ago I was absolutely fine with needles/injections, then after fainting during my BCG (TB vaccine...) I've been terrified.
The problem is that it has developed more and more, to the point now where I can't even sit in a doctor's waiting room without my heart racing and starting to feel faint. I really don't know what to do about it, I'm getting tired of worrying for days before the simplest of medical procedures, like an eye test or a filling at the dentist.
What's concerning me even more is that I really need to book my Class 1 (I've been ready to go solo for 2 months now) but I'm worried that I'm going to really panic once I get in there and end up in a mess. Does anyone have any advice, or any words of re-assurance on this matter?
The problem is that it has developed more and more, to the point now where I can't even sit in a doctor's waiting room without my heart racing and starting to feel faint. I really don't know what to do about it, I'm getting tired of worrying for days before the simplest of medical procedures, like an eye test or a filling at the dentist.
What's concerning me even more is that I really need to book my Class 1 (I've been ready to go solo for 2 months now) but I'm worried that I'm going to really panic once I get in there and end up in a mess. Does anyone have any advice, or any words of re-assurance on this matter?
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1
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From: Aberdeen, UK
Hi there,
I also have a needle phobia after a needle broke in my arm during a tetanus jab aged 10.
Don't worry about it at all, the staff at your medical are very understanding, and totally made my relax. The only thing they will do with a needle is take a pinprick of blood from the top of your index finger, the device they use is just a small plastic thing, with a tiny needle in it, you don't even see the needle, they press it on your finger, and you are done!
Honestly, I harldy felt a thing, it is no where neer as bad as getting a needle from the doctor, beleive me, I once woke up panicing, in a sweat, about my tetanus jag, that was 5 years away!!!
Just tell the nurse at the medical centre about your phobia, and you will be fine, they will take good care of you.
Good luck.
I also have a needle phobia after a needle broke in my arm during a tetanus jab aged 10.
Don't worry about it at all, the staff at your medical are very understanding, and totally made my relax. The only thing they will do with a needle is take a pinprick of blood from the top of your index finger, the device they use is just a small plastic thing, with a tiny needle in it, you don't even see the needle, they press it on your finger, and you are done!
Honestly, I harldy felt a thing, it is no where neer as bad as getting a needle from the doctor, beleive me, I once woke up panicing, in a sweat, about my tetanus jag, that was 5 years away!!!
Just tell the nurse at the medical centre about your phobia, and you will be fine, they will take good care of you.
Good luck.
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1
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From: chicago
Needle Phobia
With needle phobia, people will often faint at the sight of blood, but it usually requires the sight of blood, or the expectation of an injury or needle that might produce it. Everybody's blood pressure drops a little at the sight of blood - it might be yours, in which case lowered blood pressure is good - and people with needle phobia just have too much of a good thing. In that case, it's usually helpful to do things to raise your blood pressure, i.e., flexing and tensing your large muscles.
But if you experience light headed sensations in non needle situations, it might be a more generic anxiety which is not associated with fainting, just feeling faint. Short, shallow breathing often creates these sensations. A good belly breathing exercise can be a big help in this situation, but you have to learn to start with a gentle exhale, and not gulp your air. For instructions, take a look at this article: Anxiety Coach
Hope that helps.
But if you experience light headed sensations in non needle situations, it might be a more generic anxiety which is not associated with fainting, just feeling faint. Short, shallow breathing often creates these sensations. A good belly breathing exercise can be a big help in this situation, but you have to learn to start with a gentle exhale, and not gulp your air. For instructions, take a look at this article: Anxiety Coach
Hope that helps.
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 145
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From: nz/oz
Mate i am with you all the way, i have a great pasionate hate and fear off needles.
I drear my medical every year, but just have to tell myself to harden the
up.
I served in the special forces back home, was scared than allready, really funny al lot off the guys were.
Same goes for the dentist.
I always tought, if i ever get caught in hostile enviroment, and they come out with the dentist drill i tell m everything they want to know. lol.
Good luck mate your not alone
I drear my medical every year, but just have to tell myself to harden the
up.I served in the special forces back home, was scared than allready, really funny al lot off the guys were.
Same goes for the dentist.
I always tought, if i ever get caught in hostile enviroment, and they come out with the dentist drill i tell m everything they want to know. lol.
Good luck mate your not alone
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 56
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From: EGSS
Thanks very much everyone, it's reassuring to know I'm not the only pilot out there. And thanks for that link on anxiety....it may be about time that I spoke to my doctor about it and see if there's any treatment he can recommend. I don't want to be cr@pping myself everytime the medical comes around!
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 506
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From: Cheshire
be fair . . . . . . . . !
The medical profession seems very keen on the practice
Would you rather that we fail to diagnose the anaemic pilot, who then faints as he reaches a cabin altitude of 7000 ft ?
Furthermore, it is actually my experience that most people actually cut themselves, and therefore bleed, rather more on most days than the tiny drop I take to measure the Haemoglobin ! Cuts while shaving, in the kitchen, in the garden, working on the car, doing DIY, the list is endless ! Every home has a supply of elastoplasts !
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 31
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From: UK
Bloody hell
Mr, soz, Dr AME,
Be calm. You must know that people are slightly unreasonable in certain situations. We know that you don't undress us with your eyes, and have un-natural desires. Some individuals have problems with lots of things, even elasoplasts.
P.S. This is meant as fun. I have the utmost respect for ducks.
Be calm. You must know that people are slightly unreasonable in certain situations. We know that you don't undress us with your eyes, and have un-natural desires. Some individuals have problems with lots of things, even elasoplasts.
P.S. This is meant as fun. I have the utmost respect for ducks.
Psychophysiological entity
Joined: Jun 2001
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 3,383
Likes: 169
From: Walton on the Naze Essex.
The needle is very, very sharp.
Think about this.
Doesn't help?
Okay, now imagine that the tip is not cutting you, but simply pushing aside the molecules of your arm. No harm being done, just finding its way through cells and fibers that will move aside as it approaches. Any pain is imaginary, nothing is touching anything of real substance.
Say it time and time again, until you can watch the infinitely fine point slide happily between your component parts, without batting an eyelid.
Think about this.
Doesn't help?
Okay, now imagine that the tip is not cutting you, but simply pushing aside the molecules of your arm. No harm being done, just finding its way through cells and fibers that will move aside as it approaches. Any pain is imaginary, nothing is touching anything of real substance.
Say it time and time again, until you can watch the infinitely fine point slide happily between your component parts, without batting an eyelid.
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 506
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From: Cheshire
a very valid point . . . . . . . . . . !
The needle is very, very sharp
Yet, if very sharp, and if used correctly (very important, that) you should actually feel little or nothing. I saw a pilot only yesterday who needed his cholesterol checking since this was the first renewal after turning 40 years. His eyes were shut, and he asked me when I was going to stick the needle in - - it already was ! !
Very similar to the exceptional sharpness of freshly broken glass. If you have ever dropped something of glass in the kitchen, while clearing up you cut yourself -- feel no pain, but see the blood first !
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 2,333
Likes: 1
From: gone surfin'
Actually, NO ! You are almost implying that we get some kind of sadistic pleasure from the use of needles - wrong !
Joking apart, I'm pretty the sure the procedure involves a "pin prick" sample rather than venupuncture ??? (Simillar to the device used by self-monitoring diabetics.)
In this case, desensitisation could help.
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 889
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From: UK, US, now more ɐıןɐɹʇsn∀
I can feel for you.
Hello.
Looks you had plenty of advice and compassion.
Anxieties are often based on no real evidence or experience.
Yes, needles are about entering own's body skin and it's against about self-preservation instincts..
I've had plenty of needles stuck up in my body. Do I like it? Guess...
As for sampling, if it's 'pin prick', it's pretty good, as it doesn't go deep and not into veins. Veins can be funny.
I never really liked having blood samples from veins when I was sick as child or teenager and they had to follow up on something.
When I was 6 or 7, I spent 3 weeks in hospital over Xmas (surgery removing blood cloth right next to my voicebox after stupid bang,long story).
That was pretty hard as we had some sort of immunisation or what, BIG needles whacked right into our thighs twice a day.
It was so much worse as they injected quite a lot of liquid into the muscle (you know, when they need to hit it up the bum/muscle/ - same principle, the stuff has to go to big muscle)
I don't remember much from my 'early' years, but the queue I always tried to joing amongst the last ones - the general feelings when in it was contagious.
Or, when I was hospitalised for another reason as teenager, I had the IV connected to my back palm - wee 'tap' with IV plugged into it. When they changed the hands after few days (not to damage the tissue or what), the nurse played with the needle under my skin for quite a while. After few minutes and couple fresh wounds, she gave up. Then she asked me about drinking regime. I was pretty dehydrated. BINGO. Shortly after it was just fine. The vein looked like quicksilver being chased by the needle.
I'm scared of heights (on top of structures). Seriously. But I love flying - paragliding, gliding, helis, anything but sitting in the back of an airliner.
I feel queasy when seeing other people's open wounds bleeding badly, but I don't mind my own blood from occasional nosebleed - got used to it.
What I do when having needles stuck in my arm veins, is thinking of something nice looking away.
Yeah, I did witness broken needle in thigh of one of the boys in the past too.
So what? I bet he contracted muscles and jerked.
One can kill crew when executing wrong control input. Are we not going to fly because of some inherent risks we have to minimise or watch out for?
Looks you had plenty of advice and compassion.
Anxieties are often based on no real evidence or experience.
Yes, needles are about entering own's body skin and it's against about self-preservation instincts..
I've had plenty of needles stuck up in my body. Do I like it? Guess...
As for sampling, if it's 'pin prick', it's pretty good, as it doesn't go deep and not into veins. Veins can be funny.
I never really liked having blood samples from veins when I was sick as child or teenager and they had to follow up on something.
When I was 6 or 7, I spent 3 weeks in hospital over Xmas (surgery removing blood cloth right next to my voicebox after stupid bang,long story).
That was pretty hard as we had some sort of immunisation or what, BIG needles whacked right into our thighs twice a day.
It was so much worse as they injected quite a lot of liquid into the muscle (you know, when they need to hit it up the bum/muscle/ - same principle, the stuff has to go to big muscle)
I don't remember much from my 'early' years, but the queue I always tried to joing amongst the last ones - the general feelings when in it was contagious.
Or, when I was hospitalised for another reason as teenager, I had the IV connected to my back palm - wee 'tap' with IV plugged into it. When they changed the hands after few days (not to damage the tissue or what), the nurse played with the needle under my skin for quite a while. After few minutes and couple fresh wounds, she gave up. Then she asked me about drinking regime. I was pretty dehydrated. BINGO. Shortly after it was just fine. The vein looked like quicksilver being chased by the needle.
I'm scared of heights (on top of structures). Seriously. But I love flying - paragliding, gliding, helis, anything but sitting in the back of an airliner.
I feel queasy when seeing other people's open wounds bleeding badly, but I don't mind my own blood from occasional nosebleed - got used to it.
What I do when having needles stuck in my arm veins, is thinking of something nice looking away.
Yeah, I did witness broken needle in thigh of one of the boys in the past too.
So what? I bet he contracted muscles and jerked.
One can kill crew when executing wrong control input. Are we not going to fly because of some inherent risks we have to minimise or watch out for?
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,122
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From: Neither Here Nor There
Funny thing, I was petrified of needles until I trained as a military medic and learned how to take blood, give injections and set up IVs, which we practiced on each other. After gaining operational experience I found out that I no longer feared needles myself.
I'm not suggesting that you should join the army to cure your phobia but obviously by confronting the fear it removed it. Why not talk to your GP who may be able to arrange for you to watch a flu jab session at your local GP practice or spend a couple of hours with the phlebotomists at your local hospital. Possibly not but it can't hurt to ask and you never know, once you've seen a load of other people being 'needled' it might just displace your own fears.
I'd be interested to hear AME&PPL's or any phobia experts' views on this.
BTW, my ex was and still is absolutely terrified of needles, so much so that she fainted at the propsect of having a local anaesthetic prior to having a wound sutured. They brought her around and she fainted again when they went to inject her so the second time they just left her unconscious and sutured the wound quickly while she was out. She will not have any anaesthetic for dental work - hard as nails....or bl**dy stupid!!
I'm not suggesting that you should join the army to cure your phobia but obviously by confronting the fear it removed it. Why not talk to your GP who may be able to arrange for you to watch a flu jab session at your local GP practice or spend a couple of hours with the phlebotomists at your local hospital. Possibly not but it can't hurt to ask and you never know, once you've seen a load of other people being 'needled' it might just displace your own fears.
I'd be interested to hear AME&PPL's or any phobia experts' views on this.
BTW, my ex was and still is absolutely terrified of needles, so much so that she fainted at the propsect of having a local anaesthetic prior to having a wound sutured. They brought her around and she fainted again when they went to inject her so the second time they just left her unconscious and sutured the wound quickly while she was out. She will not have any anaesthetic for dental work - hard as nails....or bl**dy stupid!!
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 638
Likes: 18
From: South Oxfordshire
I'd take a needle in the arm any day. You want to try a sub-conjunctival injection (into the white of the eye) for ther ultimate adrenaline rush. I had to have five inside three weeks when I was about 14. Thanks to anaesthetic drops beforehand, the needle didn't hurt, but it was bloody painful when the fluid was squirted in.
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 3,040
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From: 58-33N. 00-18W. Peterborough UK
stansted_dan, Here's what you do. Take a sharp pin with you. When the medic is about to attack you CONCENTRATE on pushing the pin very gently into your other hand. Ask the medic to let you know when he's finished.
Never tried this, never needed it, but I'm sure it'll work.
Never tried this, never needed it, but I'm sure it'll work.
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1
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From: espaņa
Weird phobias
Very good site, excellent content, I will recommend to my group of readers in the university, I found very interesting article on the internet, including this ... Weird phobias that control your life.....: The humongous list of phobias that you can have find anywhere shares the same characteristics, like the fear of dentist or doctor. Phobias and Fears are emotional reactions to an uncomfortable situation that causes physical and mental responses. Some of the symptoms that affect all of these weird phobias and fears like fear of success or fear of long words include: 1) Horror, terror, confusion, fear and uncontrollable feelings of panic 2) Unawareness that phobias and fears go beyond. 3) Acceleration of heart beat, extreme sweating, trembling, breathing problems.
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 8,266
Likes: 1
From: Berkshire, UK
I feel for you.. I have been terrified of medics all my life, which didn't help at my annual medicals. Even driving along the road past my local GP gives me the heeby jeebies. Try the deep breathing bit and focus on something else - I know it'd hard but it sometimes works.
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: London
I never had a fear of needles until I had a puncture done on my knee (big needle to the middle of the knee joint with no anaesthetic) after breaking it skiing. This was then followed up by a course of daily injections after testing positive for DVT- not the most fun couple of weeks that I've had and ever since then I hate injections!
The only way I've found to deal with them is to look the other way and distract myself, be it counting bricks, humming a tune or anything that stops me thinking about it. I know it's in my head so all I need to do is think of something else and it is usually over before I realise what is happening.
All the best,
JugglingSpence
The only way I've found to deal with them is to look the other way and distract myself, be it counting bricks, humming a tune or anything that stops me thinking about it. I know it's in my head so all I need to do is think of something else and it is usually over before I realise what is happening.
All the best,
JugglingSpence