Scared of needles? Try these simple tips

If you’re feeling anxious, try to eat a decent meal before your vaccination and go easy on the coffees or anything else that might make you jittery. “Make sure you’ve got some food in you so that your blood sugar doesn’t drop and it all just gets too much,” says Rachael.

“If you’re worried or scared for any reason, or you’re concerned about fainting, just say so to the clinician because they can look after you,” advises Rachael. “It makes everything go so much better.” The clinician can get the recipient to lie down, or can use distraction techniques to ease the process. “I’ve given vaccines to big burly men covered in tattoos who say ‘I’m scared of needles’ and speaking up is the best thing to do because if they faint and hit the deck I can’t catch them.”

This is a matter of personal preference. Some people like to see what’s happening and when, while others have watched enough COVID needle shots on the TV news to last a lifetime. If you don’t want to watch, you can ask the provider to let you know when the needle is about to enter the skin so you don’t jump.

If you’re feeling anxious, you can help calm your mind by doing a meditation beforehand on an app like Smiling Mind, or running through some simple breathing exercises while you wait. “Just trying to be in a good headspace helps,” says Rachael.

When receiving the needle, try not to clench your fist or tighten your muscles as this can make it seem to hurt more.

The immunisation itself takes just two seconds, and distraction is a reliable way to get your mind off that needle. You could strike up a conversation with the clinician, listen to favourite calming music through headphones, play a (one-handed) game on your phone, conjure up a ‘mind picture’ of your favourite place or person, or focus on a TV or poster in the clinic.

Some providers advise nervous recipients to wiggle their toes as the needle goes in. “By focusing on a different part of the body you can train yourself to think about that instead of what’s happening on your arm,” says Rachael. “It’s another distraction method.”

With winter approaching, Rachael says it’s a good idea to dress  with your immunisation appointment in mind. “It’s really important that the provider can see your entire upper arm, from shoulder to elbow.” Rolling up a business shirt won’t do, she says, and you might not feel comfortable taking it off altogether. “Wear a jumper with a T-shirt underneath so you can take off the jumper and roll the T-shirt right up.”

Words can paint a thousand pictures, and if the likes of ‘needle’, ‘shot’ and ‘jab’ are putting you off your vaccine, you could always do like Rachael’s family and simply call it ‘arm medicine’, which turns the focus neatly onto the contents rather than the method of delivery.