Introduction of Injection

In medical terminology injection is referred as a shot or jab and is a popular way of infusing liquid medicines in to a patient's body. Besides taking oral medicines for health problems or topical applications of medicines in the form of lotions and creams, there are injections, which are considered the most frequently used medical procedures. According to a report by the WHO, an estimated 20 billion injections are administered each year world-wide.

What is an Injection (in Medical)?
Injection is defined as a process by which a small area of the skin is pierced or punctured with a syringe and needle to insert a substance for prophylactic, curative, or recreational purposes. It is to be noted that an injection follows a parenteral route of administration; that is, medicines are administered not through the digestive tract.

Methods of Injections Infusions: Types of Injection
Injections can be given intravenously, intramuscularly, intradermally, or subcutaneously. Each type of injection is used for a specific health problem, specific purpose , but the procedures for preparing the injections are the same.

Intradermal Injections
This technique involves the injection of the fluids into the top layer of the skin, which is soft and pliable. Mainly used for treating certain health problems , including many allergies and tuberculosis. The liquid medicine is inserted with an intradermal injection, which will lie just beneath the skin’s surface in between the layers of skin. The needle is extremely tiny, and it inserts the fluid properly under the surface of the skin.

Intramuscular Injections
This is the most common way of injecting medication directly into a patient. For rapid absorption of the medicine this is a very useful process because the medicine from this injection is inserted directly into the muscle. This allows the medicine to gain easy access to the blood stream and quickly begin its healing work. Intramuscular injections are the best and the safest way of injecting medication into a patient.

Subcutaneous Injections
Such type of injections are used where the medicine needs to be absorbed slowly. In this type of injection, the needle has to go through the first 2 layers of skin that is the epidermis and dermis. The needle should further penetrate into the fatty layer of the skin, known as the subcutaneous tissue. Medicines administered through subcutaneous injections have the least chances of having an adverse reaction. Insulin is one type of medicine that is injected in this way, so also a number of immunizations.
In all these injections, the size of the needle varies. The deeper the injection, the longer the needle should be. In intramuscular injection, the needle is at least a few inches long. Subcutaneous injections have needles which are approximately an inch long. Intradermal injections use the shortest needle because they are only inserted just beneath the first layer of skin.