Home shots are never fun.  Here are 7 quick tips that can decrease injection pain and improve compliance with necessary medical treatments.

1.  Distract the nerves.  Using Buzzy's initial ice pack on a site for 30-60 seconds to help numb the tissue.  For the moment of truth, get a fresh pack of ice wings and slide Buzzy proximal to the site, then give the shot.  Rub Buzzy on the site afterwards if the medication stings.

2.  Relax the muscles.  Pushing medication into taut muscles makes it hurt more, now and later.  Even passively stretched muscles hurt, so rather than bending over and going for a gluteal stick, try lying on your side with the buttocks muscles relaxed.  Same thing for thigh shots: sitting up causes the muscles to be active keeping you balanced.  Go for a side position.

3.  Distract your mind.  Counting and finding tasks can reduce pain by half.  At a minimum, count corners, count ceiling tiles, count holes in an air grate.  For more sophisticated tasks, bring DistrACTION cards or make a poster.  Where IS Waldo, really?

4.  Distract your senses.  The brain can only process so much at one time.  Buy 5 packs of sugar-free gum, mix the sticks and pick one at random to figure out the flavor.  Drink a slug of a cold, sweet beverage.  Taste and smell are great senses to counter paying attention to pain.

5.  Topical anesthetics - LMX is over the counter, and can be applied below Glad Press-N-Seal.  It won't go deep, but sometimes the first stick is what gets you.  More info here.

6.  Blow!  There are lots of other jobs you can do to take your mind off of pain, but blowing out physiologically calms and reduces pain.  For added fun, set up a pinwheel or grab a kazoo.

7.  Focus on something you do control.  Whether you're pinching your own finger, or thinking about the health or life benefits of the shot, concentrate on that. Fertility shots, for example, can have an adorable pay-off.