I am needle phobic - Quantify what constitutes a "little pinch" to you

[MagicDuck12]

Hi everyone

Want to ask a brief question in the hope of rationalising my phobias and feelings.

When you often hear a dental shot described as a "little pinch", liken it to something else please. Maybe give it a score on a scale of 1-10, where 1 is literally nothing, and 10 is something super painful like a broken bone or something.

Please liken the feeling to something else. Explain how you get through this sensation.

Do you distract yourself?clench something hard? make noises?

If you do feel a stinging or pain, how long does your pain last?

Why wont my phobia go away, no matter how many times i confront it, or experience it (because the experience every single time is miserable), but i know this and im prepared, so why is it STILL a constant struggle?

Thanks everyone

 

[Ladydi1724]

I had a horrible phobia when it came to dental injections. A couple of years ago I had 14 extractions at once for dentures. I was terrified of the injections. They really were not bad at all. Maybe a 2 on a scale of 10 if even that. Plus it lasted only a second. I had probably 15 injections!! Take music to play in your ears and keep your eyes closed. Don’t look at he needle. Honestly if you don’t see it coming you probably will not feel it. Let me know how you do.

 

[MagicDuck12]

@Ladydi1724 thanks for the response.

I've had these injections they just never seem like a pinch that's all. It's considerably more painful than say a jab in the arm.

I've also (stupidly) watched clips on YouTube where people are in obvious discomfort and it's just sort of glossed over like "oh that's not so bad" etc etc where the person is audibly making uncomfortable noises, moving, or about to panic like they can't take anymore so it's obviously discomforting or hurting them.

Yet everyone, even supposed phobics, are desperate to perpetuate a myth that you can't feel the shots when you can.

I wanted to ask the question as is this a pain/discomfort threshold thing where some people can just handle more pain?

There has to be a better way too in 2024 than this as well. Like surely. Why isn't everyone using a system that guarantees no pain?

 

[Tigerlily]

I find the ones on the inner side of the teeth quite spicy, but the ones on the outer side maybe a 2/10. I guess they take maybe 5 seconds. I just breathe through nose and remind myself it really is just a few seconds. You can definitely feel them but everyone tolerates them differently eg someone with Fibromyalgia or due on will hurt more, someone in a lot of tooth pain already might not find them bearable. I guess people on YouTube are in discomfort but aren't bothered by it, it's a necessary evil. I don't think there is a way to guarantee no pain unless a local anaesthetic gel could go on first, then the jabs, but I don't know if this exists for inside the mouth

 

[letsconnect]

I‘ve had a lot of completely painless dental injections, and so far no really painful ones (but never say never, right? Don’t want to push my luck ). I find injections in the arm more painful (though again, there are huge differences depending on the operator as I found out with various covid jabs - some almost imperceptible, some ouch, depending on how gentle and carefully they‘re given).

I wouldn’t describe myself as having a high pain threshold either! (still feel somewhat traumatised by those early Covid tests up your nose…)

There’s lots of information on this page which might help help shed some more light on this matter:

Painful Injections and Needle Phobia

Are you terrified of dental injections? Find out why shots may be painful, how to make them comfortable, and what to do if you have needle phobia.

www.dentalfearcentral.org

 

[letsconnect]

I don't think there is a way to guarantee no pain unless a local anaesthetic gel could go on first, then the jabs, but I don't know if this exists for inside the mouth

Sure, the topical anaesthetic gel can be applied anywhere

 

[MagicDuck12]

@Tigerlily theyre definitely bothered by it, they are in obvious discomfort with their facial expressions, their moaning/vocalisation, but they cant do anything about it because like you say, its a necessary evil that you cant get out of.

I just cant make sense of it. Ive had some injections that are sort of uncomfortable but bearable, thats the best case scenario, worst case scenario ive had some absolutely shocking pains that send shockwaves through the whole side of your face and chin.

This is a dental phobia's forum and yet everyone except a small minority seem to pass the injections off as a piece of cake.

The idea that the covid jab, with a tiny needle that is over in 1 second, was worse than a tortuous drawn out 90 second injection into your GUM, or that a covid test (seriously???? a covid test worse than a dental injection??????), the whole concept is beyond alien to me.

In fact i feel like im so against the grain i might even consider taking my chances again and not going to the dentist (but i cant quit now ive made a plan to go). The whole experience with injections is so completely disgusting on every level ill never cope with it.

 

[honeybee91]

Hi I’m terrified of needles! Truly it’s the only part of the dentist I dread. Last time I got a shot I’d say it was 2/10 in the pain scale. It helped I didn’t look at the needle and tried to just zone out looking at the ceiling. Only needle that might have been a 3/10 was one shot I got in the back of my mouth when I had a wisdom tooth removed. It felt like a sting and I winced but then it was over.

 

[kitkat]

I have had a lot of dental injections in my life and I can only recall 2 really intense ones that made my eyes tear. One was when I was getting a root canal and another one was when I was getting a filling. Both were top teeth. The filling was a bit closer to the front of my mouth. My dentist saw me struggling to cope shortly after she started injecting…not sure what I was doing maybe wincing? I know I wasn’t making noise but she asked me if I was having pain and I told her I was and she stopped immediately, apologized for it being so painful, and gave me a break to recompose myself. This was early on in my dental phobia journey so I was having a hard time continuing with the procedure after that (only my second procedure with that dentist and 1st one went well). She explained that the area where she was injecting had thinner tissue which probably caused it to be more painful. In that case, we waited for the first injection to kick in and then (with lots of pep talking) she went back and gave me the rest of the local anesthesia after I was already numb from the first shot. With the root canal, I sorta just endured it silently but he gave me a heads up they could be rough….but I thought he was exaggerating…he was not! Lol but he did get me super numb so I was okay with him in the end. Most of the time, I have had numbing gel beforehand and I don’t recall having numbing gel for either of those experiences so that may have had something to do with it. Those 2 were maybe a 7/10 with a long intense stinging sensation. I feel like both times took me by surprise because it was so out of the ordinary. The other times have always been a 1 or 2/10. Whatever sensation I feel seems to be there the whole length of the injection but stops immediately after the injection ends. I usually just try to focus on deep breathing. My new dentist uses numbing gel and then counts down from 3 before he injects and then immediately checks in to make sure you aren’t feeling too much and then keeps talking to you and checking in every few moments until it’s done. I feel like he would immediately stop if I was showing any signs of extreme discomfort.