How big is a needle for blood donation?
Take apart a Bic pen. Look at the tube that holds the ink. That’s about as large as the needle gets. Some are even smaller. Pinch your skin with your fingertips, in the inside of your elbow and hold it for about 5 minutes. Eventually it will just feel like you’re holding the skin. This is about as painful as it (should) get. I will admit, I have been stuck poorly. You’ll know it when it happens. 99.9% of the time, it’s as described above. Sometimes it’s so smooth that you don’t even know it’s in there or it went in – seriously! They’ll cover the needle with a small square of gauze so you don’t have to look at it. I also find that looking away (and not tensing up!) helps me. I’m not needle-phobic, but I prefer not to watch. Don’t twist your arm when you donate, and remember to breathe normally. If you have to, breathe in deep and slow, squeeze, then exhale. Repeat until the donation’s done. Even talking to the nurses (phlebotomists) about anything will help with your breathing. Drink pl
