Steroid Injection Procedures

Overview: Understanding, Dispelling Myths, and Realities

Ensuring proper injection techniques, coupled with accurate anatomical knowledge and maintaining sterility, is crucial. It's important to first address the various misconceptions, fabrications, and truths regarding steroid injections. These myths circulate both among the general public and within the community of anabolic steroid users. This discussion will start with the most prevalent myths in the general public and then address those within the anabolic steroid community.

Common Myths and Realities

  • Myth: Steroids are injected into veins (like in the arm).
    Reality: Incorrect. A prevalent misconception among those who lack knowledge about anabolic steroids is that they are injected intravenously.
  • Myth: Injecting even a tiny air bubble can be lethal.
    Reality: Incorrect. This myth is common in both the general and steroid-using communities.
  • Myth: Steroids cause muscle growth precisely at the injection site.
    Reality: Incorrect. Steroid injections don't cause localized muscle growth, except in rare cases.
  • Myth: Subcutaneous injections of steroids or shallow muscle injections lead to abscesses.
    Reality: Incorrect. While designed for intramuscular use, steroids can be injected subcutaneously.

Preparation and Safety Measures

Before administering steroid injections, one must be well-informed about proper techniques and sterility. Inadequate preparation or ignorance can lead to severe consequences.

Key Guidelines:

  • Ensure all necessary supplies (syringes, needles, alcohol swabs) are available before starting any cycle.
  • Check that all syringes, needles, and swabs are hermetically sealed for sterility.
  • Avoid pre-loading syringes, as solvents in the steroid solution can degrade the syringe material.

Types of Steroid Injections

  • Intravenous (IV) Injections: Anabolic steroids should never be injected intravenously.
  • Intramuscular (IM) Injections: This is the standard method for steroid injections.
  • Subcutaneous (SQ) Injections: These involve injecting into the fat layer beneath the skin.

Equipment and Supplies

Understanding common terms and equipment is essential:

  • mL or CC: Milliliter and cubic centimeter are interchangeable terms for volume measurement.
  • Gauge: Refers to needle thickness.
  • Length: Needle length varies, with standard sizes being 1” and 1.5”.

Standard supplies include various types of syringes, hypodermic needles of different gauges and lengths, alcohol swabs for sterility, insulin syringes for subcutaneous injections, and Band-Aids or cotton balls for post-injection care.

Intramuscular (IM) Injection Procedure

For optimal IM injections:

  • Use separate, hermetically sealed syringes and needles.
  • Employ a needle of 22 – 25g for the injection, and a 19 – 21g needle for withdrawing the solution.
  • Follow a detailed, sterile procedure including hand washing, equipment inspection, and careful handling of needles and syringes.

Subcutaneous (SQ) Injection Procedure

Subcutaneous injections involve injecting into the fat layer, usually in the abdominal area, with insulin syringes and following a sterile procedure similar to IM injections.

Injection Sites (Intramuscular and Subcutaneous)

Each injection site is marked with a red X, with specific tips for each location, including the upper outer quadrant of the gluteus, the ventrogluteal area, shoulder, and thigh.

Final Tips for Steroid Injections

  • Rotate IM injection sites to avoid muscle overuse.
  • Allow alcohol to evaporate for sterilization before needle insertion.
  • Avoid contaminating the needle tip or rubber stopper.
  • Consider the Z-track method for IM injections to prevent leakage.
  • Warming the vial may help with easier injection.
  • Post-injection pain (PIP) is common and varies depending on several factors.