When you start receiving hormone replacement therapy you should be aware of some important aspects concerning the treatment and its indications.
How to self-inject testosterone? Is it possible to self-administer testosterone or should it be made by a physician? Read further to learn all the facts.
Key Facts on Testosterone Injections
As men reach the age of 30 their testosterone levels tend to decrease by 1% each year. The decrease can be different depending on the person’s lifestyle, overall health, and habits.
The severity of your T-hormone deficiency will be a determining factor in how often you should receive testosterone injections within a replacement treatment. To be more practical, you should learn how to inject testosterone on your own.
Mainly, testosterone injections are administered IM (intramuscular), but there are some other options like subcutaneous ones.
The pain threshold is an individual factor for every person, so every individual feels pain differently. People with higher sensitivity may opt for a milder and less painful option like subcutaneous shots. However, IM injections are considered to be more effective.
Whatever way of injecting testosterone you choose, be sure to make your best to get perfect results and avoid soreness on the site of the shot. Be sure to follow the proper instructions on how you should administer the shots on your own.
How to self-inject testosterone?
Before you get your treatment be sure to buy proper medication based on the prescription. When consulting a doctor, you’d better ask about the frequency and dosage of the shots to be administered per day. If it’s the first time you receive the therapy, of course, it’s required to learn how to properly inject testosterone to make sure your treatment is efficient.
The First Testosterone Shot
The injections are intended to treat and stabilize your T-hormone levels. Testosterone replacement therapy is beneficial both for treating hypogonadism (testosterone deficiency) and getting more improvements in your appearance and health.
Once you start to receive your shots, it can be inconvenient to go to the clinic to take every injection, so learning how to self-administer the injections would be much helpful.
What gauge needle should be used for testosterone injection?
When it comes to choosing a needle for testosterone injection, get the ones available in 22 or 23 gauge, they are the general standard for receiving hormone replacement therapy shots. In length, the needle should be about 1 or 1.5 inches, optimal for IM shots.
In case of improper approach to choosing a needle for testosterone injection, may cause problems with the site of the shot like swelling and pain. Reducing the pain is one of the main aspects regarding the shots, so please consider the following:
- learn the optimal sites for testosterone injections;
- choose the proper needle size and gauge;
- consider the dosing of your medication;
- use the proper techniques of shots;
- find the best place to inject testosterone;
- consider massaging after the shot.
How to make a testosterone shot?
The kind of medication brand you buy for your testosterone injection is much more important because only legitimate ones should be used for your shots. After your doctor’s consultation and approval, get the proper drug and learn how to inject testosterone to start self-injecting. Here is a simple guide to follow:
- Be sure that you have a proper dosage before injecting your medication and that you’ll inject nothing more and less; inject only the amount prescribed by your doctor.
- Get a sterile syringe and needle for testosterone injection, and don’t forget that neither needle nor syringe can be reused or non-disposable, so be sure to get the new one every time you get your shot.
- Don’t forget about sanitation measures since such precautions will decrease the chances of getting an infection.
- Fill your syringe with the proper dose, and then aspirate the syringe to get rid of the air inside of it. The excess air may lead to complications like embolism – an adverse effect of administering the injections.
- Find the best place to inject testosterone. It’s advised that you don’t overuse the injection site to avoid pain and discomfort.
- Administer the injection by holding the syringe at 90 degrees against the site of the shot, as this is the best angle to perform an IM injection.
- After the injection, pull the syringe carefully and press on the injection site. This is an effective technique to avoid bleeding and pain on the site of the shot.
If you feel soreness that becomes unbearable or if you experience redness and swelling, contact a doctor as soon as possible. Sometimes, people administer shots improperly or suffer from intolerance towards medication; all of this should be also discussed with a doctor.
How much testosterone should I inject?
The dosage of testosterone injections totally depends on the aim of receiving this treatment. Low levels of testosterone or properly diagnosed hypogonadism are the main indications for testosterone replacement therapy and this is to be shown by blood tests.
Doctors prescribe the individual treatment plan and the term of the cycle based on the lab evaluation and diagnostic results of each patient. You can be prescribed a dosage ranging from 50 to 400 mg with the frequency of every 2 or 4 weeks.
How to give yourself a testosterone injection?
With the simple guide above, you can administer shots on your own. Yet, before giving yourself a testosterone shot, consider finding an optimal needle for testosterone injection, and don’t forget to get the medication from the best and most reliable brand that is approved in the USA.
Where to make testosterone injections?
When a shot is administered by a nurse or a doctor, the gluteal muscles are chosen to be the main site of injection. If you plan to self-inject your medication, the muscles of your thighs would be the best site for a shot.
Conclusion
If you face low testosterone levels or hypogonadism, testosterone replacement therapy is the best solution for your treatment, and injections will be a compulsory part of the therapy. This is why the mentioned tips on how to inject testosterone would be very useful.
If you’ve got any additional questions or concerns about your testosterone treatment or choosing the needle for a self-injection, please contact us now!