Nobody likes to get a shot in the arm, especially kids. But the pain of the needle is necessary for vaccines, medical tests and -- in some cases -- life-saving treatments. Now doctors are testing ways to make the needle prick painless.
In just about 24-hours, 17-year-old Emelie Silvers went from healthy high schooler to pediatric patient.
Doctors had to remove Emelie's gall bladder. She needed two IVs and those dreaded blood tests.
"They were just poking and poking and poking, and it was difficult to watch that," said Deb Silvers, Emelie's mother.
"It's kind of like there's this needle digging around in you," said Emelie.
But patients like Emelie, could soon avoid the pain of the needle thanks to some medical magic.
Doctors and nurses in Florida are testing a class of medicines they simply call "magic creams."
"We've been working for a long time on coming up with different ways of numbing the skin without having to inject a numbing medicine in order to make the needle sticks less or not painful at all," said Dr. James Orlowski, chief of pediatrics at Florida Hospital Tampa.
To do that, nurses apply one of two different medicines. One is called LMZ Crème, applied 45 minutes before the needle stick.
The other is called a Synera Pad. The pain killer is housed in a bandage and needs 20 minutes to set.
Orlowski believes children and parents will benefit once these magic creams become mainstream.
"Everybody is used to the kid screaming bloody murder when the needle is stuck in for the vaccine," said Orlowski. "Can you imagine taking your 6-month-old baby in for vaccines, and instead of having him scream and cry, have him not even react because the skin has been numbed...that's what we'd like to see."
Before that can happen, patients like Chris Pettit will help compare which magic cream offers the most relief.
"I have to get rid of the seizure to not take the medication anymore," said Petti.
He's noticed a difference.
"When she puts the needle inside, I feel no pain at all," said Pettit.
Magic creams come at a price. LMZ costs a dollar a tube. Each Synera Pad costs $15.
Florida Hospital Tampa will recruit about a hundred patients who will randomly try out the cream or the patch to see which one blocks that needle stick better.
Monday, June 17 2013 10:08 AM EDT2013-06-17 14:08:03 GMT
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