Fear of needles
Trypanophobia (from ancient Greek τρύπανον trýpanon, German 'Bohrer', and φόβος phóbos, German 'Furcht') or (colloquially) syringe anxiety is the fear of injections. This is a specific phobia that is considered relatively common and generally medically relevant.
Nir and colleagues studied 400 people (mean age 25 years) who were to receive travel vaccinations. Of these, 7% were medical workers and 2.8% were people who needed regular insulin injections. 21.7% reported being afraid, while 8.2% were found to be disproportionately afraid. Fainting episodes occurred particularly in individuals with syringe phobia and those with poor previous experience. On the other hand, clearly perceived empathy reduced the rate of fainting.
In order to enable a targeted therapy, a distinction must be made between a
- Trypanophobia (fear of injection as such).
- Belonophobia (fear of needles) or Aichmophobia (fear of sharp objects)
- Vaccinophobia (fear of vaccinations)
Accordingly, diabetics with "syringe anxiety" who require insulin also require a psychological opinion before a "vaccination gun" for the administration of insulin can possibly be made available by the health insurance funds - not least because the diagnosis of a phobia as such must itself also be confirmed. Alternatively, the contents of the ampoule to be injected can be applied sublingually or nasally. Modified behavioural therapy is usually used as a psychotherapeutic procedure.
Needle-free injection may be one way of circumventing syringe anxiety for some administration routes in the future. However, it does not offer a substitute for intravenous administration, for example.
See also
- Blood phobia
Questions and Answers
Q: What is the medical term for fear of needles?
A: The medical term for fear of needles is Belomophobia.
Q: What are some other terms used to describe fear of needles?
A: Other terms used to describe fear of needles include aichmephobia and belanophobia.
Q: Can belanophobia also refer to a fear of sharply pointed objects in general?
A: Yes, belanophobia can also refer to a more general fear of sharply pointed objects.
Q: When was fear of needles recognized as a phobia?
A: Fear of needles was recognized as a phobia in 1994.
Q: What percentage of American adults have a fear of needles?
A: It is estimated that at least 10% of American adults have a fear of needles.
Q: Is it possible that the actual number of people with fear of needles is larger than 10%?
A: Yes, it is likely that the actual number of people with fear of needles is larger than 10%, as the most severe cases are never documented due to the tendency of the sufferers to avoid all medical treatment.
Q: What is the fear of needles called in medical literature?
A: In medical literature, fear of needles is usually called needle phobia.
