Intravenous

Intramuscular.

Interadermal.

Subcutaneous.

An injection is a way of administering a liquid to a person using a needle and syringe. It’s also sometimes also called a ‘shot’ or ‘jab’. 

Intravenous (IV) injections. An IV injection is the fastest way to inject a medication and involves using a syringe to inject a medication directly into a vein.

An IV catheter is most commonly placed into a vein in the:

• Forearm
• Back of the hand
• Antecubital fossa – the depression on the inside of the elbow joint
• Ankle, close to the foot – for small patients such as babies and neonates

Intramuscular (IM) injections. IM injections are given deep into a muscle where the medication is then absorbed quickly by surrounding blood vessels.

A doctor may use an intramuscular shot if:

• they cannot locate an appropriate vein
• the particular drug would irritate the veins
• the digestive system would render pills ineffective

an IM injection is given into a muscle in your:

• Thigh – vastus lateralis muscle between the hip and knee
• Bottom – Ventrogluteal muscle just below the hip on the side of the body
• Upper arm – deltoid muscle between the top of the shoulder and the arm pit
• Intramuscular injections are used when other types of delivery methods are not recommended. These include:
• oral (swallowed into the stomach)
• intravenous (injected into the vein)
• subcutaneous (injected into the fatty tissue just under the layer of skin)
• Intramuscular injections may be used instead of intravenous injections because some drugs are irritating to veins or because a suitable vein cannot be located.

Deltoid muscle of the arm

The deltoid muscle is the site most typically used for vaccines. However, this site is not common for self-injection because its small muscle mass limits the volume of medication that can be injected — typically no more than 1 milliliter.

It’s also difficult to use this site for self-injection. A caregiver, friend, or family member can assist with injections into this muscle.

To locate this site, feel for the bone (acromion process) that’s located at the top of your upper arm. The correct area to give the injection is two finger widths below the acromion process. At the bottom of the two fingers will be an upside-down triangle. Give the injection in the center of the triangle.

Vastus lateralis muscle of the thigh

The thigh may be used when the other sites are not available or if you need to administer the medication on your own.

Divide the upper thigh into three equal parts. Locate the middle of these three sections. The injection should go into the outer top portion of this section.

Ventrogluteal muscle of the hip

The ventrogluteal muscle is the safest site for adults and children older than 7 months. It’s deep and not close to any major blood vessels or nerves. This site is difficult for self-injection and may require the help of a friend, family member, or caregiver.

Place the heel of your hand on the hip of the person receiving the injection, with your fingers pointing toward their head. Position your fingers so your thumb points toward their groin and you feel the pelvis under your pinky finger. Spread your index and middle fingers in a slight V shape, and inject the needle into the middle of that V.

Dorsogluteal muscles of the buttocks

The dorsogluteal muscle of the buttocks was the site most commonly selected by healthcare professionals for many years. However, due to the potential for injury to the sciatic nerve, the ventrogluteal muscle is most often used instead.

This site in the dorsogluteal muscle is difficult to use for self-injection and is not recommended.

You should not use an injection site that has evidence of infection or injury. If you’ll be giving the injection more than once, make sure to rotate injection sites to avoid injury or discomfort to the muscles.

Subcutaneous (SC) injections. SC injections are injected into the innermost layer of the skin called the subcutis or hypodermis, which is made up of a network of fat and collagen cells. SC injections are also known as ‘subcut’ or ‘SQ’ injections.

It is recommended that you inject a SC injection into:

• The lower abdomen (belly or stomach area), except for the 2 inches (5cm) area around the navel (belly button)
• The front or outer sides of the thighs
• The upper area of the buttock
• The upper outer area of the arms (if being administered by someone else)

Intradermal (ID) injections. ID injections are given directly into the middle layer of the skin called the dermis. This type of injection is absorbed more slowly again than IV, IM or SC injections.

The most common sites for an ID injection are:

• The inside or ventral aspect of the forearm
• Upper back, under the shoulder blade

Other types of injections include:

• Intra-articular injections – into a joint
• Peri-articular injections – into the soft tissue close to a joint
• Intraosseous injections – into the bone marrow
• Intradetrusor injections – into the muscle in the wall of the bladder
• Intraocular (intravitreal) injection – into the jelly-like fluid in the eye
• Intraperitoneal injections – given within the abdominal cavity
• Intracardiac injections – into the muscle or ventricles of the heart
• Intracavernous injections – into the base of the penis