The thought of sharp objects piercing flesh is too unnerving for some individuals. People stricken with trypanophobia fear nothing else than being pierced with needles. Of course, being pricked by injections is painful but the reactions of trypanophobic people are blown out of proportion. They sweat and grow uneasy once they see the medical instruments propped nearby.

Trypanophobia should be treated as soon as possible. Medical treatments and vaccines are administered through injections since needles can reach and penetrate blood vessels. Without these treatments, trypanophobic individuals will have weaker immune systems and will have problems dealing with illnesses like dengue, hemorrhagic fever, and hepatitis. Necessary medical procedures such as tooth extractions and blood tests are also not possible if a patient violently resists injections. Of course, it also follows that a person afraid of needles is also afraid of going under the knife. This can prove to be fatal for those afflicted with serious illnesses.

Thanks to the concerned efforts of doctors worldwide, there are several nifty ways to get rid of the fear of needles or trypanophobia.

More Durable than a Fifth Grader

Trypanophobic individuals are petrified at the sight of needles and injections. Counteract that fear by showing these people pictures or videos of children being injected with a vaccine. As much as possible, show images of brave kids who do not cry after getting an injection. If ever there is a condition that is just as powerful as trypanophobia, it is probably called the power of suggestion. Some trypanophobics will presume that needles are not too painful if little kids can take them without shedding tears.

To increase the efficiency of this tactic, you can bring the trypanophobic individual to a clinic. Chance up on a fifth-grader who is getting an injection and have the trypanophobic view the medical procedure. The threshold of pain of a fifth grader is slightly developed. He can easily withstand the pain associated with injections. Have the child talk to the trypanophobic and the child will probably tell him that the injection is just as painful as a measly ant bite. Soon, the trypanophobic may muster enough courage to take a booster shot.

Laugh Trypanophobia Away

Another good solution to get rid of of trypanophobia is for the sufferer to undergo a laughing gas treatment. In this procedure, doctors seclude the patient in a room filled with laughing gas. Eventually, the patient will have a lengthy and continuous euphoric episode, that provides sedation and reduces the patient’s anxiety. Some strains of laughing gas also have a slight anesthetic effect that reduces the amount of pain induced by a needle. At the height of the trypanophobic’s euphoric state, the patient is strapped to his seat as the doctor administers the injection. The patient then realizes that he has just laughed off the pain of the needle piercing. Soon enough, he will be able to laugh off his fear of needles.

Rub-a-Dub-Dub

Trypanophobic individuals get petrified with needles and injections because of their perceptions and notions about needles. They have not actually been pierced by a needle or an injection, that leads us to a good remedy for trypanophobia. Instead of substituting an injection with an unconventional form of treatment, you can ask a doctor to use a topical anesthetic before administering the injection. Topical anesthetics do not necessarily remove all sensations but they can certainly reduce pain to a bare minimum.

Usually, the trypanophobic will run amuck upon seeing an injection involved in the medical procedure. The patient whould then be safely restrained or strapped to a medical bed. Once the injection has been administered on the anesthetized portion, he will notice that injections are not really associated to extreme pain. Obviously, that experience will end his fear of needles.

A Spray a Day will Keep Trypanophobia Away

An anesthetic spray is a good alternative to topical anesthesia and is easier to use. Instead of rubbing anesthetic cream and waiting for it to settle, you can simply spray a generous amount of anesthetic solution onto a body part to be administered with an injection. The efficacy level of the anesthetic spray may not be as high as topical anesthesia but the spray is efficient enough to make the pain from an injection very tolerable even for little children.

The application of the anesthetic spray is the same as topical anesthesia. All you have to do is to spray the anesthetic solution to a body part then administer the injection. Keep in mind that the trypanophobic should be restrained in case the experience induces violent reactions from him.

Extreme Treatments for Extreme Patients

Some trypanophobics are hard to restrain, especially large, wide-bodied individuals. They get extremely agitated the moment the word injection is mentioned. Even with the presence of laughing gas or sedatives, they still become violent when faced with needles. Good thing there are two methods that can serve as your last resort remedies for trypanophobia.

• General Anesthesia – It is the most efficient form of anesthesia, since it practically knocks patients unconscious. Often used in medical operations, general anesthesia assures trypanophobics that they will not experience any pain with injections or minor operations. The use of general anesthesia though entails high medical fees, making the treatment costly. Just use this treatment when all the other trypanophobia remedies are seemingly ineffective.
• Force Trypanophobia Out – You can also let easily agitated trypanophobics face their fears head on. Strap the trypanophobic to a durable medical bed reinforced with sturdy leather straps. Make sure that the patient is strapped tight enough. Once done, administer the injection amidst the patient’s screams and protests. The patient will then notice that the pain coming from the injection is not parallel to his overblown reaction, signaling the end of the phobia.

Final Thought

Among all the remedies presented, the anesthetic spray is probably the most versatile. The spray is easy to use and can be applied anytime. It is not as messy as topical anesthesia and not as time-consuming as any of the other trypanophobia treatments. You can even use the anesthetic spray for other medical applications, if necessary. With an anesthetic spray, you can deal with trypanophobia anytime as long as you have the right supporting tools.

As the popular statement goes, there is nothing to fear but fear itself. In the case of trypanophobia, it’s all in the mind. You can overcome this fear with the right attitude and by following any of the procedures mentioned above,