Don't let your fear of needles stop you from getting the medical help you need.
According to Healthline, 20 per cent of people have some degree of fear of needles and injections, and 20 per cent of those with the fear let it keep them from seeking medical treatment.
With flu shot season on the horizon, there's no time like the present to put aside those injection fears. For starters, Dr. Patrick McGrath of Sick Kids Hospital says you should change your thinking when it comes to needles. "Write down your irrational thoughts about injections in one column and create more sensible or rational thoughts in the next," he says. "For example, if you think 'Injections are horrible,' change that to 'Injections hurt a bit but keep me healthy.'"
Other coping methods include looking away, pinching another part of your body while the needle is being inserted, asking for experts instead of medical students and even requesting butterfly needles, which minimize discomfort.
In the video above, Howcast shares a simple trick that distracts your body from the pain felt during an injection. Just be sure to warn your doctor or nurse before you try this trick in real life.
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