How bad does an IV hurt?

Question

I have never had an IV and was wondering how bad it hurts?

MB why even answer to a question if you are going to be immature and stupid?

Answer 1

It kind of depends on what's in the IV bag and why you're getting an IV and where they stick the needle.

If you are in pretty bad shape and unconscious, then chances are, you won't even feel the IV.

I have had IV's for surgery as well as for rehydrating me after a bad bout of nausea... an IV in the arm.. that "main vein" in front of your elbow, is the least painful... easy to ignore. The kind that goes on the top of your hand is not so much painful as horribly annoying.

Pulling the tape off is always the most painful part of an IV.

UNLESS, of course, your have rolling veins and they have to poke you repeatedly with the needle ... or unless you have a newbie who isn't sure what he or she is doing.

Otherwise... the tape is the most painful part of the IV.

Answer 2

It depends on several factors: the skill of the nurse at venopunction, if you have good visible veins, and the size of the IV catheter being used. In general, Operating Room, Emergency Room, Nursery, ICU and Labor Room nurses are very skilled at venopuncture; this is because in those areas, this procedure is carried out all the time and "practice makes perfect". If you have good thick clearly visible veins in easily accessible areas of your body {like the back of the hands}, chances are that you won't need more than one "prick" to get the job done. If you'll be undergoing surgery, a large-gauge catheter will likely be used and these tend to hurt a little more than small ones {the larger the number of the catheter, the smaller its gauge; for example, a 24-gauge catheter is very thin and is used for babies or small children, while a 18-gauge one is much thicker and is commonly used to administer anesthesia, blood transfusions or for childbirth; there are even larger IV catheters than these, but those are only used for critically ill patients}. Anyway, the pain is only at the time of insertion and will go away thereafter.

Answer 3

Not as bad as some people may think, when I was little I was constantly in and out of the hospital and the way they do iv's now they just put the needle in your arm and then attach the iv to the needle. So you only get poked once, but when the iv starts to run it does sting a little.

Answer 4

Probaly just like a shot but I think sharper things hurt less when they cut you thats why in some religons they have to kill animals with sharper things; by the time their dead they only feel a little pain. So it depends on how much pain you can tolerate and sharpness.

Answer 5

Just hope you get a skilled Phlebotomist.
And they never stick it into a nerve.
I used to donate blood (too old now).
Most always there is a sting, mild burn from the alcohol cleansing the anti-coagulant.
Then most PAINfull part pulling of the tape and tearing out the hair.

Answer 6

If you have someone who is good at putting IV's in, it should not hurt too bad. Also, if you have good veins, it is much easier. Ask if they can numb the area that they are putting the IV into, that helps a lot.

Answer 7

As long as the nurse can find the vein and has experience, it doesn't hurt much at all (if you're queasy I wouldn't recommend watching them put it in though). Now, when it takes seven or eight tries to get it in, that's when you ask for a new nurse, who can put it in pain free!

Answer 8

Feels like they're sticking an effing stick up your arm!! But then again I'm really needle shy (even though I'm a seamstress, oddly enough) and I have a somewhat low pain tolerance.

Answer 9

Depends on how high your pain level is. If it isn't very high then it could hurt pretty bad. But for the most part they just sting and pinch.

Answer 10

It feels like a bee sting...but if possible, ask them for a 'butterfly' iv...the needle tends to be much smaller and less painful for someone who is not familiar with the procedure.