What is a possible cause of pain upon removal of the needle?

What is a possible cause of pain upon removal of the needle?

• A. Needle barb
• B. Insufficient topical anesthesia
• C. Infection
• D. Accidental nerve contact

Answer: (A)

Pain on removing the needle points to tissue trauma caused by the needle’s surface features. If the needle has a barb, it can catch and drag on the tissue as you withdraw, tearing tiny tissue fibers and triggering sharp pain. This explains why the pain is felt specifically during removal even when most of the injection area was numbed. If topical anesthesia were insufficient, the pain would be expected during insertion or injection rather than mainly at withdrawal. Infection tends to cause gradual pain, swelling, and redness over time rather than immediate removal pain. Accidental nerve contact usually produces sharp pain during the injection itself or immediate sensory changes, not something confined to the moment of needle withdrawal.

Pain on removing the needle points to tissue trauma caused by the needle’s surface features. If the needle has a barb, it can catch and drag on the tissue as you withdraw, tearing tiny tissue fibers and triggering sharp pain. This explains why the pain is felt specifically during removal even when most of the injection area was numbed. If topical anesthesia were insufficient, the pain would be expected during insertion or injection rather than mainly at withdrawal. Infection tends to cause gradual pain, swelling, and redness over time rather than immediate removal pain. Accidental nerve contact usually produces sharp pain during the injection itself or immediate sensory changes, not something confined to the moment of needle withdrawal.