I recently gave blood for the first time and the girl who stuck me had trouble hitting my vein. I have good veins (from what I was told) but I felt a sharp, tingling kind of pain when she stuck me. She didn't get blood right away and had to get help. The second attendant moved the needle out a little and kept intensifying this sharp pain I was feeling. It wasn't the normal pain you feel when you get stuck, but kind of like a burning pain all down my arm. Its been three days now and it still feels the same. ITs a very strange and uncomfortable feeling. What did they do to cause this pain??
Answer:
It sounds as if the needle was resting against a nerve.Nerves and veins are very close together in the arm, and an experienced and well trained phlebotomist (person who draws blood) knows how to slide the needle into the center of the vein in order to minimize any risk of getting close to a nerve (or touching a nerve).If the needle had touched a nerve or if the needle had pierced a nerve you would have had immediate screaming pain - a feeling as if your whole arm is on fire while someone is cutting your arm off. so it is unlikely that they actually touched or pierced a nerve.But based on your symptoms and the actions of the phlebotomists that you describe, it certainly sounds as if they were close to a nerve - close enough to irritate it - and it's possible that the nerve was right next to the wall of your vein (and since they had trouble getting the needle placed properly, the needle was probably near the vein wall instead of in the middle of the vein where it belongs).Because you are still feeling the pain, you need to go visit your doctor to make sure that they did not cause a permanant injury (very rare but possible) to your arm. Nerve injuries need to be taken seriously because nerve injuries can continue to get worse and worse if they are not treated - so it's important to go see your doctor soon because if you do have a nerve injury you want to start treatment ASAP so you can minimize the long-term effects.I'm sorry that this happened to you, but I hope that you will continue to give blood in the future because it helps saves lives. Thank you for being a blood donor! Several members of my family are alive today because they got a blood transfusion, so thank you for being a donor! And I really hope that when you donate in the future you get a good Phlebotomist who knows how to do a proper stick. (In some states, phlebotomists do NOT have to be certified, but you have the right to ask for a certified Phlebotomist whenever you have to have blood testing done or whenever you are donating blood - just something to remember in the future to help you avoid any further unpleasant and painful experiences).
I don't donate blood.. I think I probably need it.
That doesn't sound too good, I hope a doctor or nurse can answer your question
aaahhh dude you just gave blood of course your hand is going to feel funny the only problem you should be worried about is if the arm is swelling then you might have an allergic reaction
Go to the doc and let them know - Really you may have a bp problem - Blood pressure!
I've had blood taken before and my arm was also sore.
I think its probably just the fact that blood is being pulled from your veins,
your best bet is to ask your doctor, but im sure you're fine!
uh oh youll prolly have to have it cut off
sucks for you
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