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China Times 2008.01.03
Zhong Yujue / Comprehensive Report
Some people (usually men) collapse to the ground as soon as they see a syringe at the hospital. This fear of injections often deters people from going to the hospital or visiting the dentist, and can even affect the relationship between healthcare providers and patients.
It wasn’t until 1997 that the medical community officially recognized needle phobia as a real condition, estimated to affect about 10% of the population, with some cases even being hereditary.
For most people, getting a shot is just a momentary discomfort, but for others, it can be severe enough to disrupt daily life. Lam, an emergency medical technician at a hospital in Ohio, USA, said, "I’m terrified every time I see a doctor." He has long suffered from needle phobia and has avoided seeing a dentist altogether. When asked why he is so afraid of needles, he recalled a childhood experience when he accompanied his mother to the doctor. He was forcibly taken to a strange room by medical staff, and the doctor threatened him with a needle, saying, "If you don’t cooperate, we’ll tell your mother, and you’ll be in trouble."
Lam said that since then, he has been unable to shake off the shadow of needle phobia. When he enrolled in emergency medical technician training, he would get headaches whenever injection training was involved.
"I can place the needle on a tray and carry it out, but I can’t hold the needle myself," he said. When he revealed his psychological barrier, his classmates burst into laughter. However, most healthcare professionals understand that needle phobia is no laughing matter.
One of the most common symptoms of needle phobia is a series of physical reactions upon seeing a syringe: fear first stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, causing the heart rate to slow, then triggers the brain to release hormones that relax blood vessels, leading to a drop in blood pressure and ultimately fainting.
Lam recently underwent knee surgery that required anesthesia. He said, "I was extremely anxious before the surgery. I knew the surgery was necessary, but I was terrified of the injection." Eventually, he paid for a pain-relief patch that used low electrical currents to deliver anesthesia through the skin, allowing him to avoid the needle and complete the surgery successfully.
While pain-relief patches can be a blessing for those with needle phobia, Lam advises parents not to threaten or force their children if they are afraid of injections. Instead, they should communicate with them and offer praise and rewards after the child bravely endures the shot. A positive first experience can naturally reduce their aversion to injections in the future.
Source: http:/ / news. chinatimes. com/ 2……0504+112008010300501,00. html
1 in 10 Adults Fear Needles
Zhong Yujue / Comprehensive Report
Some people (usually men) collapse to the ground as soon as they see a syringe at the hospital. This fear of injections often deters people from going to the hospital or visiting the dentist, and can even affect the relationship between healthcare providers and patients.
It wasn’t until 1997 that the medical community officially recognized needle phobia as a real condition, estimated to affect about 10% of the population, with some cases even being hereditary.
For most people, getting a shot is just a momentary discomfort, but for others, it can be severe enough to disrupt daily life. Lam, an emergency medical technician at a hospital in Ohio, USA, said, "I’m terrified every time I see a doctor." He has long suffered from needle phobia and has avoided seeing a dentist altogether. When asked why he is so afraid of needles, he recalled a childhood experience when he accompanied his mother to the doctor. He was forcibly taken to a strange room by medical staff, and the doctor threatened him with a needle, saying, "If you don’t cooperate, we’ll tell your mother, and you’ll be in trouble."
Lam said that since then, he has been unable to shake off the shadow of needle phobia. When he enrolled in emergency medical technician training, he would get headaches whenever injection training was involved.
"I can place the needle on a tray and carry it out, but I can’t hold the needle myself," he said. When he revealed his psychological barrier, his classmates burst into laughter. However, most healthcare professionals understand that needle phobia is no laughing matter.
One of the most common symptoms of needle phobia is a series of physical reactions upon seeing a syringe: fear first stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, causing the heart rate to slow, then triggers the brain to release hormones that relax blood vessels, leading to a drop in blood pressure and ultimately fainting.
Lam recently underwent knee surgery that required anesthesia. He said, "I was extremely anxious before the surgery. I knew the surgery was necessary, but I was terrified of the injection." Eventually, he paid for a pain-relief patch that used low electrical currents to deliver anesthesia through the skin, allowing him to avoid the needle and complete the surgery successfully.
While pain-relief patches can be a blessing for those with needle phobia, Lam advises parents not to threaten or force their children if they are afraid of injections. Instead, they should communicate with them and offer praise and rewards after the child bravely endures the shot. A positive first experience can naturally reduce their aversion to injections in the future.
Source: http:/ / news. chinatimes. com/ 2……0504+112008010300501,00. html