How to Get Over Your Fear of Needles: Stay Calm and Make Shots Hurt Less

A fear of needles – known as trypanophobia – is more common than you might think. In fact, an estimated 25% of adults have a fear of needles, according to a study published in the National Library of Medicine.

While a fear of needles and shots often starts in childhood, it can continue into adulthood, making it harder to stay up to date on important vaccines, like your flu shot. But with the right techniques, you can learn how to get over fear of needles and make your next vaccination a little easier – and even less painful.

Why People Fear Needles

“It’s a completely normal reaction to want to protect your body from pokes and pricks,” Brian Curtis, MD, vice president, chief medical officer, OSF Medical Group, said.

“The fear of needles is more common in women than men and typically decreases as people get older.”

People may fear needles for many reasons.

Early experiences
“Most children have a fear of needles. Approximately 20-50% of adolescents have needle fear and about 20-30% in young adults,” Dr. Curtis said.

Fear of needles often starts in childhood. Painful or unexpected shots, or being restrained for vaccinations, can leave a lasting impression. Children who pick up on a parent’s anxiety about medical procedures are also more likely to develop their own fear.

Fear of pain or injury
For many, the anxiety isn’t just about the needle itself, but about pain or the idea of something piercing their skin. The anticipation of pain activates the same stress response as actual pain, so the body braces itself even before the shot happens.

Loss of control
Needle procedures often involve sitting still, being told what to do and waiting for a poke you can’t control. That feeling of vulnerability can heighten fear, especially for people who like to anticipate or manage discomfort themselves.

People with general anxiety, panic disorders or heightened sensory sensitivity may be more prone to needle fear. The sight, sound or even smell of a clinical environment can trigger a stress response long before the shot occurs.

Vasovagal response
Some people faint or feel dizzy at the sight of blood or needles because of a reflex called the vasovagal response, where heart rate and blood pressure suddenly drop. Even if you knows it’s a reflex, the memory of fainting can make the fear stronger over time.

Genetic or biological predisposition
Research suggests that fear of needles may run in families. Humans are wired to avoid sharp objects and injury – a trait that once kept our ancestors safe, but today can make medical procedures feel threatening.

How do I know if I have a fear of needles?

Common symptoms of trypanophobia include:

• Feeling faint or lightheaded at the sight or thought of a needle
• Increased heart rate or blood pressure
• Shortness of breath, nausea or trembling
• Panic attacks when facing a shot

How to Get Over Fear of Needles

If you’ve avoided vaccinations because of your fear, know that there are ways to retrain your brain and body to stay calm.

Gradually face your fear
Exposure therapy can help desensitize your anxiety by slowly getting you used to needles and getting shots. Start by looking at pictures of needles online. Once your anxiety settles, move on to watching short videos of someone getting an injection. Continue to repeat the process until your fear response lessens. You’ll feel more in control the more exposure and information you have.

Reframe your thinking
“I tell patients that it’s very common and they’re not alone,” Dr. Curtis said. “Instead of thinking, ‘I hate needles,’ try saying, ‘A shot might sting for a second, but it protects my health.’ Positive self-talk really can make a difference.”

Calm your body
Practice deep breathing exercises before your appointment. Slowly breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth five times. Pair this with visualizing a calm, happy place, such as relaxing on the beach or sitting in a cozy chair at home. Or try something sensory, like bringing a calming object, focusing on a fidget toy or something in the room or even holding a pillow or stuffed animal to help stay relaxed.

Try the applied tension technique
If you’re someone who faints during shots, this can help: Sit comfortably and tense the muscles in your arms, legs and core for 15 seconds, then relax for 30 seconds. Repeat five times. Practicing this daily for a week before your appointment helps prevent your blood pressure from dropping.

Communicate with your care team
Let your nurse or medical assistant know you’re nervous.

“We do this every day,” Dr. Curtis said. “We can talk you through it, distract you or even have you lie down if that helps.”

How to Make a Shot Not Hurt

One of the biggest fears around needles is pain. Fortunately, there are simple ways to make a shot hurt less:

• Relax your arm. Keeping your arm tense makes the injection site more sensitive.
• Distract yourself. Play a game on your phone, listen to music or focus on a breathing pattern.
• Use a numbing cream. Over-the-counter creams with lidocaine, applied about 30 minutes before your appointment, can reduce discomfort.
• Ask about injection technique. Some clinicians use a quick, smooth motion that minimizes pain – and it’s OK to ask them to go slowly or talk you through it.

“Distraction and relaxation techniques can make such a difference,” Dr. Curtis said. “When your mind is focused elsewhere, you may not even feel the needle.”

Why does my arm hurt after a shot?

It’s common for your arm to feel sore for a day or two after a vaccination. The reason why vaccines make your arm sore comes down to how your immune system works.

When a vaccine is injected into your muscle, your immune cells recognize it as something new and begin building protection against the disease. That immune response causes temporary inflammation – the source of the soreness, redness or mild swelling at the injection site.

To help ease soreness:

• Move or stretch your arm gently after getting your shot
• Apply a cool compress for 10-15 minutes
• Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen if needed – unless your doctor advises otherwise

Most soreness improves within a few days, and it’s a sign your body is responding the way it should.

Facing Your Fear is Worth It

Whether you’re preparing for your flu vaccine, COVID-19 booster or another injection, facing your fear of needles is possible – and worth it for your long-term health.

“It’s OK to feel anxious about shots,” Dr. Curtis said. “But with practice and a few coping strategies, you can take control of that fear and make your experience much easier.”

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Fears developed in childhood often carry over into adulthood. One example of this is a fear of needles.

The fear of needles, or trypanophobia, is surprisingly prevalent, with 25% of adults having a phobia of needles, according to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which develops vaccine recommendations for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

About 7% of adults avoid immunizations due to their fear, said Hayley Ralph, MD, a family medicine physician with OSF Medical Group.

With the widespread rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations, people who fear needles may experience more anxiety when it comes to deciding whether to get the vaccine.

Common phobia

“Most children have a fear of needles. Approximately 20-50% of adolescents have needle fear and about 20-30% in young adults,” Dr. Ralph said. “The fear of needles is more common in females than males and typically decreases as people get older.

“The fear of needles probably developed early as infants with routine childhood vaccinations,” she said. “It has also been suggested there is a genetic predisposition to fear of needles. However, it’s important to remember that it is a completely normal reaction to want to protect your body from pokes and pricks,” she said.

While the COVID-19 vaccines in use have been shown to be safe and effective, it still may be a little scary for people who find themselves sitting in a clinic to get the shot.

Symptoms of trypanophobia

Some symptoms people with this fear may experience include:

• Feeling faint, passing out at the sight or thought of needles
• Having an increased heart rate or blood pressure
• Shortness of breath, dry mouth, tremors and nausea
• Full-blown panic attack is likely when someone fears they cannot escape the needles

Advice from a doctor

“I tell patients that it is very common and they are not alone. Validating their fears or concerns can be therapeutic and actually helps to calm patients,” Dr. Ralph said. “Next, it is important to help them think of their fear in a positive way. Instead of thinking, ‘I hate needles,’ try to say things like, ‘A needle might hurt for a second, but it’s good for my overall health.’

“Or I tell my patients, ‘I just got my vaccine this year and it was a breeze.’ Sometimes it helps for patients to know you get them, too,” she said.

Facing your anxiety

If you’re extremely fearful of needles, it may help to gradually introduce the thing you fear to your senses.

In the case of immunizations, the needle size is a uniform 22-25 gauge that is 1 inch to 1 ½ inch in length.

“You can try looking up some pictures of needles on the internet. Let your anxiety build up, and don’t stop looking until your anxiety eases up,” Dr. Ralph said. “When you’re done, take a few minutes to relax.

“Then take the next step. Maybe watch someone get an injection with a needle on TV or watch videos on the internet,” she said. “Continue to practice the same technique of letting your anxiety rise and naturally fall.”

Techniques to ease your fear of needles

Dr. Ralph recommends the following strategies:

• Practice deep breathing techniques. Focus on slowly breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth, repeat this five times.
• Imagine yourself in a happy place like on a beach in the warm sun.
• Lie down and close your eyes while you get your vaccination if you are someone who faints from needles.
• Communicate your anxiety to the person administering the vaccination, because they can often help distract you and calm you.
• Try the “applied tension technique” if you are worried about fainting. This helps your blood pressure get back to normal. Try to do this three times a day for up to a week before your appointment. Choose somewhere comfortable to sit. Tense the muscles in your arms, upper body and legs for 15 seconds. Release the tension and sit comfortably again. After 20-30 seconds, tense your muscles again. Repeat this five times.

Other suggestions

You can also consider applying an over-the-counter numbing cream such as lidocaine cream to your arm about 30 minutes before you’re scheduled to get your shot.

“It can help reduce discomfort and also give you peace of mind,” Dr. Ralph said.

Other ideas:

• Squeeze a stress ball.
• Refocus your anxiety and thoughts on something else while getting your vaccination.
• Give yourself an incentive or a reward. Tell yourself you can only have the reward if you face your fear. Then treat yourself with a coffee, pedicure, treat or whatever motivates you.
• Play a game on your phone or watch your favorite show.

“It comes down to distracting yourself so that you may not even feel the injection if you are focused on something else,” Dr. Ralph said.