A tip for patients in the A&E
Here’s a useful tip. If someone is about to stick a needle into you in the name of the healing arts, don’t piss them off beforehand. Even if you’re drunk and normally quite obnoxious. Here’s why.
It only works with intra-muscular (IM) injections. I’ve never practised it myself, or indeed seen it done, but I am quite certain it exists.
Most IM injections are drawn up into the syringe out of the phial they come in, using the same needle that you inject into the patient. The needles are actually little miracles of engineering, with an angled, sharpened point at the end. If that point is tapped firmly on the bottom of the glass phial while the drug is being drawn up, the point bends round very slightly at the tip. You now have a barbed implement. It goes in alright, but on withdrawal it catches on muscle fibres and tears them, causing unnecessary pain and a very nasty bruise afterwards.
As I say, I’ve never done this or seen it done. But the very fact such a phenomenon is even talked about is one very good reason to be nice to your nurse and your doctor. If you need one.
Oh. My. God!! Tell me your kidding!!!