This is a question based on nothing more than curiousity. Is it possible to inject Heroin wrong and cause your arm to be messed up and amputated? I've heard somewhere that its true. I have my doubts.No, I'm not an addict, only with coffee. And I dont intend to be one. I would just like to know for general reasons. I'm not a student or anything, I'm actually a factory worker with a bit too much time on his hands. Any repiles would be great, because I am genuinly interested in this. Thanks.
2007-11-19 20:11:09 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Other - Diseases
The way heroin addicts lose their limbs is via bacterial infection introduced by the needle. You see, the trouble is that heroin isn't sterile and usually a heroin user's needle isn't sterile either and sometimes the heroin user is unable/unwilling to clean his/her skin prior to injecting.
You can better appreciate the problem if you compare this to the situation at the doctor's office where the fluid to be injected is sterile, the needle is brand new, and the skin to be injected is clean.
Usually a heroin addict will end up with an abscess (a collection of pus under the skin) or a cellulitis (skin infection without collection of pus) - both of these are painful but generally the doctors can treat them effectively. Limbs are very, very, very rarely amputated as a result of these infections.
Rarely, however, a heroin addict will get necrotizing fascitis (popularly known as flesh-eating bacteria) as a result of an injection - this is a very rapidly moving infection (moves in a matter of hours) that the surgeons have to treat by stripping away the dead flesh in an effort to arrest the spread. Often, this illness requires amputation in the end.
These complications, however, don't have much to do with the heroin user's technique per se, just the contaminated nature of the stuff they're using.
2007-11-19 23:17:14 · answer #1 · answered by Doxycycline 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
YES! You could inject heroin into your muscle, causing a severe cist to form, this cist (if not treated within a 5-10 hours of forming) will become infect and bloated. Your arm will lose circulation, there will be no other choice than to amputate the arm to reduce the risk of a severe blood infection.
I don't, but, I have friends who use heroin, and, they say the way to use it is smoking it. I say the way to use heroin is avoid it, but, thats your descision.
2007-11-19 20:23:28 · answer #2 · answered by Johnny Boy 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it is possible. I know this because I used to use Heroin & it happened to me once. It burned like hell, my arm and fingers swelled up like crazy, but I was lucky. It went away after a couple of hours. My doctor said that if it hadn't gone down (the swelling), I would have had to have the arm amputated. Stay away from that crap!
2007-11-19 20:17:18 · answer #3 · answered by tinkerbell121701 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
YES. You can inject it into the muscle and give yourself an absess. Also if you shoot in the arm too much it can cause a need for amputation.
2014-02-12 06:17:06 · answer #4 · answered by Blaze 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would say yes--
a ex of how needles can effect you in a bad way: a women getting a epidural -- if the doctor doesn't do it right she could have back problems for life.
2007-11-19 20:15:18 · answer #5 · answered by Ashlee 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you injure your arm and don't have it treated maybe it could get so bad it would have to be cut off.
2007-11-19 20:13:57 · answer #6 · answered by мooи sнiиe 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋