Injection of anabolic steroids
All oil based and water based anabolic steroids should
be taken intramuscularly. This means the shot must penetrate the skin
and subcutaneous tissue to enter the muscle itself. Intra muscular injections
are used when prompt absorption is desired, when larger doses are needed
than can be given continuously or when a drug is too irritating to be
given subcutaneous. The common sites for intra muscular injections include
the buttock, lateral side of the thigh, and the deltoid region of the
arm.
Muscles
in these areas, especially the gluteal muscles in the buttock, are fairly
thick. Because of the large number of muscle fibers and extensive fascia,
(fascia is a type of connective tissue that surrounds and separates
muscles) the drug has a large surface area for absorption. Absorption
is further promoted by the extensive blood supply to muscles. Ideally,
intra muscular injections should be given deep within the muscle and
away from major nerves and blood vessels. The best site for steroid
injections is in the gluteus medius muscle which is located in the upper
outer quadrant of the buttock. The iliac crest serves as a landmark
for this quadrant.
The spot for an injection in an adult is usually to 7 1/2
centimeters (2 to 3 inches) below the iliac crest. The iliac crest is
the top of the pelvic girdle on the posterior (back) side. You can find
the iliac crest by feeling the uppermost bony area above each gluteal
muscle. The upper outer quadrant is chosen because the muscle in this
area is quite thick and has few nerves. The probability of injecting
the drug into a blood vessel is remote in this area. Injecting here
reduces the chance of injury to the sciatic nerve which runs through
the lower and middle area of the buttock. It controls the posterior
of each thigh and the entire leg from the knee down. If an injection
is too close to this nerve or actually hits it, extreme pain and temporary
paralysis can be felt in these areas. This is especially undesirable
and warrants staying as far away from this area as possible.
If the gluteal region cannot be injected for some reason,
the second choice would be the lateral portion of the thigh. Usually,
intra muscular injections in the thigh are only indicated for infants
and children. The vastus lateralis muscle is the only area of the thigh
that should be injected intramuscularly. This site is determined by
using the knee and the greater trochanter of the femur as landmarks.
The greater trochanter is the bony area that you can feel
where the femur joins the pelvic girdle. The mid portion of the muscle
is located by measuring the handbreadth above the knee and the handbreadth
below the greater trochanter. Injecting into the front of the thigh
or inside of the thigh is extremely unwise. These areas contain nerves
as well as a number of blood vessels.
What to use for injection
It is important to choose the proper syringe for the administration
of injectable anabolic steroids. The principle components of a syringe
include a cylindrical barrel to one end of which a hollow needle is
attached, and a close fitting plunger. The most acceptable syringe for
injecting anabolic steroids is a 22 gauge 1 1/2” or 23 gauge 1” apparatus
with a 3 cc case. This length allows for penetration to reach deep inside
the muscle tissue.
Shorter needles, 5/8” or 1/2” are usually not sufficient
for intra muscular injections and occasionally leave a portion of the
Injection in a subcutaneous area which will cause a swell between the
skin and muscle as well as impaired absorption. The gauge size of a
syringe represents the needle’s diameter. The lower the gauge number,
the wider it is. A 27 gauge needle is very thin. An 18 gauge is quite
wide; it is often referred to as a cannon. The 22 and 23 gauge needles
are not so large that they are difficult to insert, yet are large enough
for solutions to easily be propelled through them. The use of insulin
needles is not acceptable; they are simply too small. Usually, insulin
pins are 25 to 27 gauge and only a 1/2” long with a 1 cc case.
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