I know there's a 9 page sticky-thread devoted to avoiding injection pain, but I want to talk about a single site that delivers an almost painless and bloodless experience.
I've obviously used the Search function and found nothing on the site related to the topic- so here we go:
It's called the ventrogluteal area and the muscle is the gluteus medius. The site is located slightly above the hip joint and is suitable for injections because it apparently lacks major nerves and blood vessels.
The gluteus medius is V-shaped and originates on the ilium and inserts on the greater trochanter at the top of the femur.
Now, the first time I injected into this area, I used the same method I would when pinning into my glutes- a swift stab. This was unnecessary and led to swelling that caused me to hobble around for several days.
It took a while before I would try the site again, but I quickly learned that the best approach is simply to find a suitable spot in the area, swab, place the tip of the needle against the skin and push it in.
You don't need blinding speed because the relative scarcity of nerves in the area means you'll feel almost no pain. Actually, I recommend that you try to force yourself to slow down while inserting the pin because you'll stand a better chance of getting it straight and on target.
The muscle lies close to the surface of the skin, unless you have a high bodyfat percentage, therefore needles can be as short as 2.5 centimetres (1 inch). At the same time, the muscle is quite thick, so a 3.75 (1.5 inch) needle can be used without the risk of hitting bone.
I've used this site when conducting a daily injection protocol on myself- alternating sides and literally jabbing into an area about 5 millimetres away from the site I'd used just 48 hours previously. Bleeding was typically minimal, with only a pinhead-sized spot left on the swab after wiping the area. On occasion, I'd get too close to a recently used site and then a little more of the claret would dribble out, but nothing dramatic. I've found that pulling the needle out fairly slowly also seems to help minimise bleeding.
If, like most relatively sane people, you're sceptical about poking holes in an unfamiliar part of your body, you can search for "ventrogluteal injection site landmarks" in Google Images. There are several pics that will guide you.
Another way of finding the site is to stand upright and evenly balanced on both feet, with your hands at your sides. Then, raise your hands straight up until your fingertips are positioned a centimetre or two above your hip joints. Now, push your fingers firmly against that spot and rock from side-to-side, alternately placing all of your weight on one leg and then the other. The muscle we're looking for will tense and relax under your fingertips.
From what I've read, nursing and medical staff (in the USA at least) are taught to use this area for intramuscular injections.
I don't claim to have disovered this injection site and admit that I first read about it on another website dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge of anabolic substances. I have done a significant amount of research though, including using my own body as a pin-cushion.
Remember to aspirate!
All of my statements are hypothetical and are intended for entertainment purposes only.
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