Health - Needle - bruise - "broken" vein?

[NotImportant]

Hey everybody.

Swim tried needle for the first time, and has gotten a really bad bruise. Seeing as this is swims first try, swim is paranoid about ruining a vein or something. And the bruise has actually gotten a bit bigger now, two days after the needle was in the arm. Do swim need to see a doctor or will it go away?

[pinksox]

It'll go away. Bruising isn't all that uncommon when dealing with needles and veins. Keeping firm pressure on an injection site after withdrawing the needle can keep bruising to a minimum. Think about it, when one puts a needle into their vein, they're creating a hole essentially. Admittedly, a hole with a purpose...but a hole nonetheless.

Blood does not clot immediately after one withdraws a needle, so sometimes, often times, blood can and will leak back out that hole until the clotting process stops it from doing so. this is why when one goes to get their blood drawn, the tech holds or has them hold pressure to the spot for a bit afterwards...and sometimes it still bruises anyhow.

Also, if the needle accidently pokes thru the back side of the vein...as is more common with people new to IV techniques, that can result in increased bruising as well. Ditto if one has to "fish around" a bit before finding a vein.

It's also common for those bruises to appear to evolve and appear to get larger over the course of a few days as well. It's not because there's still bleeding going on...it's just because that's the nature of how bruises heal as the body reabsorbs that material. If it's particularly tender one could try icing the spot and a regular dose of OTC pain reliever. Unless there's signs of infection, not feeling well, fever, swelling, etc..one doesn't have to worry much about bruising...it's pretty par for the course.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Good informative post

[mickey_bee]

A bruise is just bleeding under the skin.....if you pierce a vein roughly, or tear it a bit, as pretty much every shooter will have done many times, it bleeds, resulting in a bruise.
It's not something to worry about, and if it only happens occasionally, it won't completely destroy the vein. Just make sure you give that area a rest until it's completely healed.

Remember to always try and rotate sites, even if you can't be arsed sometimes, you'll thank yourself for it in the future.

You only need seek medical attention if it doesn't get any better within a week, or gets worse. If it's not especially painful, or hot to the touch/swelling up, it should be fine. Just keep an eye on it and use common sense.....if it looks/feels like it's getting worse, seek help.

To avoid it in the future always try to take your time in both finding a suitable vein, and injecting into that vein. Always follow safe shooting practice. Clean your site, use new, sterile needles, keep the needle as flat against your skin as possible etc etc.
take care.

[NotImportant]

The bruise doesnt hurt or anything anymore, tho. Phew, swim is glad to hear this. Swim isnt worried now. Thank swiys

[c757peaches]

swik used a large gauge needle and blew thir vein..they were new to iv'ing and didnt understand it had gont through. on top of that they blew in a huge air bubble..the swelling has gone down but should they still be concerned???

[Esmerelda]

Originally Posted by c757peaches

swik used a large gauge needle and blew thir vein..they were new to iv'ing and didnt understand it had gont through. on top of that they blew in a huge air bubble..the swelling has gone down but should they still be concerned???

Hey there.

If swiy isn't developing any further swelling, redness, itching, heat, or other symptoms alerting Swiy to a problem, then things are probably just fine. However if Swiy is going to inject, they should use as fine a needle as possible (29g or 30g for example) and should read up on good injecting techniques and ways to stay as safe as possible. Although a 'blown' vein isn't serious, Swiy doesn't want to be messing up their veins like this repeatedly.

There's tonnes of information on this site - if you have trouble finding what you need with the search engine you can PM me if you like and I'll point you in the right direction.

Take care.

[classyfashh]

Of course you're gonna get bruising whether it's your first time or not. And I doubt you'll ruin a vein especially since it's your first time, but you never know, like.. unless you're a retard.... but then again you aren't experienced in doing up heroin.

[sevenbyeleven]

swim once used a steroid needle (22 gauge) in a major vein in his forum, needless to say, blood sprayed once the needle was removed, swim had a massive bruise and couldnt hit himself in that entire arm for several days. But it healed and there are no lasting issues No need to see the doc...