Methods to minimise pain of LA administration
| LA, local anaesthetic. |
| THE PATIENT |
| 1. Reassurance, distraction |
| 2. Topical anaesthesia prior to infiltration |
| THE LA AGENT |
| 3. Warming − 37–42°C |
| 4. Buffering − 8.4% Sodium Bicarbonate (1 ml/9 ml LA) |
| THE INJECTION TECHNIQUE |
| 5. Fine (27–30 gauge) and long (>1 inch) needles |
| 6. Slow injection |
| 7. Use smallest volume of solution necessary |
| 8. Infiltrate through wound edges |
| 9. Inject from ‘looser’ subdermal to ‘tighter’ dermal |
| 10. Block individual nerves |