Alberta Health Services
Health Information
Using numbing medicine can help lessen the pain from a needle.
Numbing medicine could be a cream, gel, or patch. Your pharmacist can help you choose the right product, show you how to use it safely, and talk about possible side effects.
You will need to put the numbing medicine on before you come to the appointment. If you remove the medicine before you see the nurse for the vaccine, use a pen to draw a circle around the area that was numbed so the nurse can see it.
The area of the body where the vaccine will be given (such as the arm or leg) depends on your age. This area is called the injection site.
Use the Babies & preschoolers and Older children & adults tabs on this page to find information on injection sites for different age groups.
These are the areas of the body where public health nurses usually give vaccines. This can help you and the pharmacist know where to put the numbing medicine.
Your child may need more vaccines than those shown below if they have a medical condition or they’re 1 or more visits behind schedule.
The injection will go in the leg as shown in diagram A. Your child will get injections in both legs if they are having more than 1 vaccine at the appointment—for example, they are getting the influenza vaccine at the same time as other routine immunizations.
The injection will go in the arm as shown in diagram B. Your child will get injections in both arms if they are having more than 1 vaccine at the appointment—for example, they are getting the influenza vaccine at the same time as other routine immunizations.
These are the areas of the body where public health nurses usually give vaccines, also called injection sites. This can help you know where to put the numbing medicine.
The injection will be in 1 arm as shown in diagram A if you are getting 1 vaccine. If you are getting 2 or more vaccines, the injection will be in the area shown in diagram A, but in both arms.
The injection will be in 1 arm as shown in diagram B if you are getting 1 vaccine. If you are getting 2 or more vaccines, the injection will be in the area shown in diagram B, but in both arms.