Last night while at the emergency department with a bad asthma attack I had to have a blood gas test. I've had it done before , they use a long fine needle to take blood from the artery in your wrist near your pulse point, n although sore it was never unbearable. last night the dr tried 3 times n each time i was sobbing from the pain ! today my left wrist is badly bruised, swollen and painful to move. have i just been lucky in the past that it wasnt painful or did the dr just balls it up last night?
2006-12-19 08:10:18 · 16 answers · asked by serephina 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
After 3 tries, 2 in one wrist one in the other she gave up as i couldn't take any more (i have quite a high pain threshold) , it was only after that i noticed from her badge that she was only just qualified! (2nd year foundation)
2006-12-19 08:48:59 · update #1
They ARE VERY painful tests. If you were severe last night, your peripheral circulation may have been poor, making it hard for him to find your artery.
2006-12-19 08:15:26 · answer #1 · answered by cynical1963 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Arterial Blood Gas Pain
2017-01-20 12:37:14 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yikes! I'm sorry for your bad experience. Getting an arterial blood gas is unfortunately very important for asthma attacks in order to use some of the medications correctly. The problem is that it's a very hard procedure for physicians and often quite painful for the patient. You're lucky that it wasn't too bad the first couple of times, but as with this last one, sometimes they just have to keep going until they get it.
Basically, they are trying to put a needle into the artery in your wrist, which is much deeper, impossible to see, tough to put it into, and right next to one very sensitive nerve. The consequense is that often a doctor has to poke around in there a few times to make it into the artery... and poking around a nerve hurts like hell. Once the doc manages to get it in, the pressure is so high in the artery that it spills out into your wrist, putting pressure on your nerve and inducing some inflammation so your body can clean it all up. It's not dangerous, but it makes your wrist stiff and painful for a little while after the ABG is drawn.
I'm really sorry you had to go through all that, but as an asthmatic, that'll just happen sometimes. In case you're curious, for a number of reasons, that's definitely the best artery to try to hit.
All the best,
Mike
2006-12-19 08:26:47 · answer #3 · answered by Mike D 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
arterial blood gas test will always be painful sometimes more painful then others,but the pain will always be there because the dr takes blood from the arterie wich is more painful then taking it from the vein and sometimes they just keep sticking your wrist because the dont always get the arterie at the first try so is very unpleasant.they could use a local anesthetic to numb the area but most dr dont so you might want to ask next time if they can numb you first.
2006-12-19 08:19:26 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
There are a couple things you can do to make it easier for the person taking the blood:
1. Make sure Dr/ Nurse is not leaning over in awkward way- your relatives could even get a chair ready (I'm serious- it really makes a difference!).
2. Lay your forearm on a pillow.
3. Bend your wrist backwards. ( This brings artery to surface)
4. Tell the Dr/Nurse that it has been tricky in the past.
5. If you are feeling confident ask them to use a finer needle eg blue needle(many people use too fat a needle).
2006-12-21 15:29:16 · answer #5 · answered by jaggedyroc 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You just lucky before. Having your blood gases drawn is pretty painful stuff, and considering that you had a bad attack last night, the doctor, nurse or respiratory therapist probably had a hard time finding your artery. Also, when it comes to drawing blood period, some people's technique is less painful than others.
2006-12-19 08:19:45 · answer #6 · answered by ♦Hollywood's Finest♦ 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As a former ER doctor, I can tell you exactly. If properly done, the test shouldn't hurt any more than any other needle stick.
It needn't hurt at all, if the doctor injects some novacaine into your skin first. And if he just needed to get your oxygen level, a painless pulse-oximeter can be clipped to your finger.
Complications from the arterial blood gas test can be, as you already know, a lot of pain and swelling and bruising. But also damage can be done to your radial artery, and if you are one of the 5-10% of people without an ulnar artery in your wrist, you could actually lose your hand. A doctor must always check for an ulnar artery pulse first. Also, the radial nerve is very close by and damage to that can cause severe, possibly permanent pain or damage to some of your fingers. Keep your wrist wrapped and elevated and if you continue to have pain, increased bruising or swelling, or numbness in your fingers, get back to the hospital, but see another doctor.
2006-12-19 08:22:03 · answer #7 · answered by Lorenzo Steed 7 · 2⤊ 4⤋
They stick an IV in your artery on your wrist ive read its painful but not horrible. Its used to analyze Oxygen and co2 concentration in your blood stream to figure out how well your lungs are exchanging gases.
2016-03-16 03:14:32 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It causes no much pain if the nurse/ Dr is experienced. plus it depends upon the patients general condition, if patients vitals are stable then radial artery can easily be palpated and blood can be withdrawn easily.
If you ask how much painful it should be, it shouldnt be much painful but you know the sense of feeling pain is different in different people, for some patints it is very painful procedure, for others it is painless.
I am myself a Doctor, I took blood for arterial gases many times, but nobody complaint of much pain.
I hope i answered ur question. Take Care
2006-12-19 12:19:29 · answer #9 · answered by Dr Khan 1 · 0⤊ 3⤋
2
2017-03-05 01:52:13 · answer #10 · answered by Firessin 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋