How and where is Heparin injection given?

There are 3 main areas where heparin can be injected:

• The stomach area (your belly) except for a 2-inch circle around your navel (belly button), and the soft part of your waist, but not anywhere near your spine
• The top and outer part of your thighs, but not your inner thighs or anywhere close to your knee
• The outer back of your upper arm where there is a pocket of fatty tissue, although this is usually easier if somebody else is giving you the injection.

How do you administer Heparin?

Heparin is injected just under the skin, into the subcutaneous layer of fat. The easiest way to do this is to pinch up a fold of skin using your thumb and forefinger if you are injecting into your stomach or thigh, or use your knee to create a pinched up area if you are injecting into your upper, outer arm (or have somebody else administer the injection for you). More detailed instructions are below. Your healthcare professional can also show you how to do it.

To keep your skin from thickening or getting lumpy, try not to inject in the same spot. Instead, rotate injection places.

Do not share your heparin injection with anyone. Each injection is for single use only.

Where should Heparin not be injected?

Heparin should not be injected into a muscle, an area close to the bone, in a vein, in the face or scalp, in the navel, or the hands or feet. It should only be injected into the abdomen, the outer thigh, the buttocks, or the outer upper arm.

How do you administer Heparin into the stomach area?

Injecting Heparin into the stomach area is easy.

1. Clean your hands well with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
2. Fold back any clothing that is covering the injection site.
3. If you want to, wipe the area of skin where you wish to inject Heparin into with an alcohol swab beforehand, and allow it to dry thoroughly.
4. Heparin may be supplied in a prefilled syringe or you may need to draw up the dose yourself using a needle and syringe. Your doctor will show you how to do this. Make sure you have the correct dose.
5. Pinch the skin around the stomach or waist area (but not within 2 inches of the navel) and hold it with your nondominant hand that isn’t holding the syringe.
6. Pull the needle cover straight off and hold the syringe around the middle like a pen or dart. Do not let anything touch the needle.
7. Push the whole needle straight down into your skin in one quick smooth motion at a 90-degree angle (straight up and down). If you are thin, you may find it better to insert the needle at a 45-degree angle.
8. Be sure to hold the skin fold as you give the shot. This will help make sure you do not inject the medicine into muscle. Use your thumb to slowly push the plunger of the syringe all the way in, until all the medicine is injected. When the syringe is empty, pull it out of your skin and throw away into a sharps container.
9. Let go of the skin fold. If you bleed a little, apply pressure over the shot area with your finger, a cotton ball, or a piece of gauze. To help avoid bruising, do not rub the area.

How do you give a Heparin injection in the arm?

Injecting Heparin into the upper arm can be a bit tricky to do yourself but by using your knee you can create a pinched-up area of skin to inject into. If you find this difficult, for example, if you don’t have much loose skin on your arms, it may be best to choose a different injection site, such as your stomach, buttock, or thigh, or ask somebody else to hold up an area of pinched skin and give your injection for you.

1. Clean your hands well with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
2. Fold back any clothing that is covering the injection site.
3. If you want to, wipe the area of skin where you wish to inject Heparin into with an alcohol swab beforehand, and allow it to dry thoroughly.
4. Heparin may be supplied in a prefilled syringe or you may need to draw up the dose yourself using a needle and syringe. Your doctor will show you how to do this. Make sure you have the correct dose.
5. Sit on the ground and bend your knee, then allow your upper arm to rest on your knee so that it creates a pinch-up area in the fatty tissue at the back of your arm.
6. Pull the needle cover straight off and hold the syringe around the middle like a pen or dart. Do not let anything touch the needle.
7. Push the whole needle straight down into your skin in one quick smooth motion at a 90-degree angle (straight up and down). If you are thin, you may find it better to insert the needle at a 45-degree angle.
8. Be sure to hold the skin fold as you give the shot. This will help make sure you do not inject the medicine into muscle. Use your thumb to slowly push the plunger of the syringe all the way in, until all the medicine is injected. When the syringe is empty, pull it out of your skin and throw away into a sharps container.
9. Let go of the skin fold. If you bleed a little, apply pressure over the shot area with your finger, a cotton ball, or a piece of gauze. To help avoid bruising, do not rub the area.

How do you inject Heparin into the thigh?

1. Clean your hands well with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
2. Fold back any clothing that is covering the injection site.
3. If you want to, wipe the area of skin where you wish to inject heparin into with an alcohol swab beforehand, and allow it to dry thoroughly.
4. Heparin may be supplied in a prefilled syringe or you may need to draw up the dose yourself using a needle and syringe. Your doctor will show you how to do this. Make sure you have the correct dose.
5. Sit down on a chair or the floor and relax your legs. Pinch up an area of skin on the outer thigh with the hand that isn’t holding the needle.
6. Pull the needle cover straight off and hold the syringe around the middle like a pen or dart. Do not let anything touch the needle.
7. Push the whole needle straight down into your skin in one quick smooth motion at a 90-degree angle (straight up and down). If you are thin, you may find it better to insert the needle at a 45-degree angle.
8. Be sure to hold the skin fold as you give the shot. This will help make sure you do not inject the medicine into muscle. Use your thumb to slowly push the plunger of the syringe all the way in, until all the medicine is injected. When the syringe is empty, pull it out of your skin and throw away into a sharps container.
9. Let go of the skin fold. If you bleed a little, apply pressure over the shot area with your finger, a cotton ball, or a piece of gauze. To help avoid bruising, do not rub the area.