Types of injections
Injections can be classified by the type of tissue to which it is injected, of which the following are the most common types:
Subcutaneous or SC
In subcutaneous injections (or subcut, sub-Q), liquid medicine is injected into the fat layer under the skin. The needle needed in this type of injection is small, and since the blood supply of fat tissue is less than that of muscle, the rate of absorption of most drugs in subcutaneous injection is lower than in intramuscular injection. Sometimes, due to repeated subcutaneous injections, small lumps may form under the skin that can be easily felt. Subsequent injections should not be done in these areas.
Intramuscular or IM
We inject into the muscle, which is usually done in the upper-outer quarter of the seat; But some intramuscular injections can be done in the thigh or arm. Muscle is a vascular tissue and has good blood supply; For this reason, the drug injected in these areas has a high absorption rate. Compared to subcutaneous injections, longer needles may be needed to reach the muscle.
Less common types of injections
Intraosseous or IO
It is usually done in emergencies where the drug must reach the bloodstream quickly, but access to the veins is not possible. Sometimes, when blood pressure drops, the small peripheral vessels of the body contract so that more blood reaches the vital organs of the body. In case of cardiac arrest, there may be poor blood flow in the veins accessible for intravenous injection, which can make access to the veins impossible. In this case, an intraosseous cannula is used.
Usually, in the area below the knee, we connect a small cannula to the bone marrow, which allows us to inject the desired drug quickly and easily in emergency situations. This type of injection has advantages over intravenous injection, one of which is that the intraosseous route is not blocked. But its risks include the possibility of fracture or infection in deep tissues. For this reason, intraosseous injection is performed only in emergency situations.
Intradermal or ID
This type of injection is performed between the layers of the skin, which is usually used for local cases such as vaccinations, allergy tests, or tests to determine previous infections. People who have done their childhood vaccinations have the experience of this type of injection.
Intravenous (Intravenous or IV)
In intravenous injection, we drain the drug directly into the vein. In the past, IV injections were mostly administered directly through a needle into a vein; But currently, this type of injection is usually done using a cannula to make sure that it is drained into the designated vessel and that the drug does not leak into other surrounding tissues. To place the cannula correctly, the doctor or nurse uses a device that inserts a soft plastic tube with a needle into the vein. Then the needle is removed and the tube remains in the vein.
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