Re: Needlephobic needs blood test, need alternative

massive.entity@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
My father needs a blood test related to his arthritis, he hasnt had
one in years due to needlephobia. He claims he can take a needle
anywhere except in his arm. Will nurses take blood from any other spot
or is there another way to get it done?


In the outpatient setting, nurses will generally not draw blood anywhere other than from the arm/hand.

His doctor might be willing to draw blood from the groin (crease at the top of the leg), which is actually not very painful, but probably has a slightly higher risk of infection than drawing from the arm.

Most people can tolerate a blood draw with numbing medication and lying down during the needlestick. I suppose someone might even be willing to prescribe an anti-anxiety medication to add to the mix.

--
David Rind
drind@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
.

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