However, these devices are not without risk: myocardial infarction from injected epinephrine has been reported [1]. I accidentally injected myself today in the thumb while administering to an adolescent who had shock after school at an event. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. If you handle electric shock devices without thinking about what you're doing, you could be risking serious injury. Hopefully, you can remain calm, notify people in the immediate vicinity, and seek medical advice quickly. Because an EpiPen is an auto-injector, the needle shoots out as soon as the cap is taken off, so if you squeeze or touch it, you may get the injection in your thumb instead, which causes the blood vessels to constrict, resulting in inadequate blood flow. Self-administrated shots of epinephrine (often referred to by the brand name EpiPen or epinephrine pen) are life-saving devices which can halt an allergic reaction and give a patient time to get to a hospital. The thought of using an Epipen can be disconcerting however if you have a horrible allergic reaction you might be more than happy to use it! The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The victim will likely experience pain when the wound is being cleaned so if the person is conscious, give her/him a warning. An accidental injection to the hands or feet can impair blood flow to these areas and can potentially cause tissue death. Accidental injection symptoms are typically mild and may include transient numbness or tingling. Why did a physician put his thumb over the EpiPen? I had began to feel very energized and had slight pain on my outer thigh. As expected, none caused an immediate response; however, after 8 hours, the thumb was pink and warm. Ive battled environmental allergies for years and I always carry an Epipen with me. )Aug 27, 2019. Indirect contact with an electric field generated by a shock pen may also be harmful. Many patients also need more than one dose of epinephrine or other emergency treatments. Google Scholar. Vascular surgeons, anesthetists, and a hand specialist were contacted by the treating general internist. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. This is called "indoor electrostatic discharge" (ESD). Philippe Staeger. What happens if you stab a nerve in your hand? Hold firmly in place for 3 seconds (count slowly 1, 2, 3). I try so hard to keep it together. Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall: Does Season of Birth Affect the Risk for Developing Allergies? 11% of children weighing 15 to 30 kg showed a risk of intraosseous injection (hitting the bone) with EpiPen Jr or Auvi-Q 0,15 mg; and 38% of children with Jext 0,15 mg. EpiPen or EpiPen Jr should only be injected into the middle of your outer thigh (upper leg), through clothing if necessary. Help. B12 injections or vaccinations), theres a sharp sting as the needle punctures the skin. The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Like other injections that go into the muscle (e.g. He developed swelling, pallor, and pain in the thumb. The provider orders an injection of a vasodilator to the digit, and documents a diagnosis of "Accidental epinephrine injection to L thumb". Several approaches were proposed: metacarpal nerve block or digital block with local lidocaine to induce an inhibition of sympathetic afferents to the digit; and topical nitroglycerin, systemic vasodilators, and warming by immersion in water to increase the blood flow supplying the digit. Hi Alice, Copyright 2020 - 2023 Stamina Comfort Inc. What happens if you take an EpiPen without needing it? It will also reduce swelling of the face and respiratory system. Enter a Melbet promo code and get a generous bonus, An Insight into Coupons and a Secret Bonus, Organic Hacks to Tweak Audio Recording for Videos Production, Bring Back Life to Your Graphic Images- Used Best Graphic Design Software, New Google Update and Future of Interstitial Ads. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. At Dust Mite Solutions we try to answer the most important questions you have about allergies. In the case of an emergency, you may not easily be able to let caregivers know if you are breastfeeding or pregnant. spstarke. Make sure you alert someone around you. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 1 What happens if I accidentally stab myself with an epipen? A commonplace for discussion, news, advice and questions with fellow sufferers. Subcutaneous injection of terbutaline to reverse vasospasm has been reported once [7]. do not suck the wound. Delayed capillary refill of the left thumb after accidental injection of epinephrine. Dp says this is just to be expected but I'm worried I've damaged the circulation or something. If you have sensitive skin, try using a less abrasive soap instead of hand sanitizer. In any case, you should always seek medical assistance if you accidentally inject yourself; it's better to be safe than sorry! What happens if I accidentally stab myself with an epipen? Press J to jump to the feed. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. The charge on your body will move through any water that comes into contact with it, allowing you to get shocked without being close to a person. If you accidentally stab the tip in your buttocks, the medication dosage will be less effective. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". EpiPens contain epinephrine, a chemical that narrows blood vessels and opens a persons airways in their lungs. Access to medical databases through new technologies is essential. A delay in administering epinephrine can be life threatening. 3 Does it matter where you stick an EpiPen? Glad you are okay! Are you in danger of lead poisoning? Am J Emerg Med. Department of Ambulatory Care and Community Medicine, University of Lausanne, Bugnon 44, 1011, Lausanne-CHUV, Switzerland, Christian Mathez,Bernard Favrat&Philippe Staeger, You can also search for this author in We report a physician who accidentally injected epinephrine into his thumb while handling an autoinjector, and the results of reviewing the literature. Ive broken out in hives a few times and Ive wondered if I needed to use my Epipen. Just found an old Epipen in my car. Epinephrine is adrenaline and a naturally occurring hormone in the body. (Brands may instruct users to hold the pen in place for 3, 5 or 10 seconds. If I start to feel nausea and my stomach hurts or I get rashes and a headache, should I use an epipen? For those of you who don't know, an Epipen is a crazy large needle carried by people with food allergies in the event they eat a peanut or something. 2023 BioMed Central Ltd unless otherwise stated. It's painful so I cant type that much. That is not because of the epinephrine, but because the allergic reaction probably requires further monitoring. 1999, 1: 34-36. Mix of 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) of salt to 1 cup of warm water. Avoid rubbing your face with dried out hands; this can lead to more problems down the road. Implicit in epinephrine autoinjector prescriptions is that physicians and pharmacists are confident that the patient or a relative can adequately use the device, and that the patient is aware of the potential dangers of incorrect administration. If you get an artificially high dose (milligrams rather than tenths of a milligram) it can kill you. 12/13/17 AT 5:36 PM EST. Your blood pressure will rise. If left untreated, low blood glucose levels may lead to seizure or coma. The amount of alcohol in most sanitizers is sufficient to kill most bacteria and viruses. The Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters guidelines recommend that patients at risk carry two epipens at all times (or any auto injector). These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. I hope you dont have to use an Epipen and I hope you never use an Epipen without needing it. The reason: Children and older adults tend to share needles, which leads to infections that can cause serious heart problems if not treated immediately. Accidental injection, usually involving a finger, is a potential complication. A regimen for management of accidental epinephrine injection, in particular the use of phentolamine, should be emphasized. For instance if you were to stab yourself with a pencil, to prick yourself on a pin, or to fall onto a fork (I could do this all day) then the resultant wound would be a puncture. McGovern SJ: Treatment of accidental digital injection of adrenaline from an auto-injector device. At the ER they usually only watch you for safety purposes and since I didnt need the ER my mom stayed up until 1am with me to make sure I was safe. It says it expired in 2007. Many pharmacies aren't licenced to take back medications for disposal. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Neocate is a family of hypoallergenic, amino acid-based medical foods for use under medical supervision and is indicated for cow milk allergy, multiple food allergies and related GI and allergic conditions. After injecting an EpiPen, hearing a click lets you know it worked. pain and swelling at the injection site. I am allergic to bees so I've always had epipens. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Here, EpiPen's are pictured in a two-pack August 16, 2016 . The EpiPen injection, contrary to popular perception, may be administered through clothes. In a hurry, Christina grabbed a syringe full of epinephrine and directed it to the patient's heart without looking. PubMed How to Market Your Business with Webinars. Some doctors may want to see you to ensure youre alright. How can you prevent yourself from sticking yourself with an EpiPen? But holding it for 10 seconds is appropriate in all cases, and it may easier to remember. What happens if you stick yourself with an EpiPen accidentally? Do not inject into a muscle because it could cause the patient to go into shock. 1999, 17: 91-94. Should I go to the hospital if I stabbed my hand? You can also make a salt solution. Hi there! What happens if you inject an EpiPen without needing it? Luckily, the doctors performed emergency procedures and were able to restart it. A 31-year-old physician in a Family Practice training program at an academic primary care center was handling an Epipen because he wanted to be familiar with it before prescribing it. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Learn how we can help. It was funny cause he has ADHD and it actually made him act kinda stoned for a bit. I havent had to use mine, however, I still carry around the expensive auto-injector. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The most common problems were 1) not holding the auto-injector in place long enough; 2) pressing the wrong end into the thigh; and 3) using too little force to inject into the thigh. Required fields are marked *. Place the orange tip on the thigh. This is not necessary with hand sanitizer since it does not spread via contact with other objects, but it will help prevent spreading disease if you come in contact with poo or vomit for example. EpiPen pro tips. Doctors say that you should never wear clothes that conduct electricity because it's like wearing a fuse box under your shirt. You should take special care not to walk through puddles of water when out of doors, otherwise you might get hurt from the electrical current flowing through the ground.