Fear of needles
Fear of needles is an intense fear of injections, blood draws, or other needle procedures. It can trigger distress and avoidance of medical care.
Blood-injection-injury phobia: A specific phobia involving blood, injections, or injury, sometimes accompanied by fainting. Needle fear can be one expression of this broader phobia.
Applied tension technique: A behavioral technique that tenses large muscle groups to raise blood pressure and prevent fainting. It can help people whose needle fear includes a fainting response.
Specific phobia: An anxiety disorder marked by intense, persistent fear of a particular object or situation. Needle fear may meet the criteria for a specific phobia when it causes significant impairment.
Vaccine hesitancy: Delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccines despite the availability of vaccination services. Fear of injection pain or needles can contribute to vaccine delay or refusal.
Vasovagal syncope: A temporary loss of consciousness caused by a reflex drop in heart rate and blood pressure. Some people with needle fear faint after an initial rise in anxiety.
Needle-free injection technology: Devices that deliver medication through the skin without a conventional hollow needle. These devices can offer an alternative for some injections, though not blood draws.
Anxiety disorder: A mental disorder involving excessive fear or anxiety that causes distress or impaired functioning. Clinically significant needle fear belongs to the broader family of anxiety-related conditions.
Medical avoidance: Avoidance or postponement of healthcare because of fear, distress, or other barriers. Needle fear may lead people to skip blood tests, vaccinations, or treatments.
Anticipatory anxiety: Anxiety that arises in expectation of a feared event or situation. Expecting an injection can provoke distress before a procedure begins.
Topical anesthetic: A medicine applied to the skin to reduce sensation in a limited area. Numbing the site may reduce pain, one contributor to procedural fear.