Aspirating

[mike407]

I read this on sportinjections.com but I'm still a bit confused on this part of the process:
"*Aspirate the syringe - pull back slightly on the plunger - you will see one of two things. (A). You will see a couple small air bubbles that when you stop applying pressure upward on the plunger will readily go back into the muscle or (B). Droplets of blood. (A) being the obviously favorable one. If there is blood you must pull out, switch needles and start over."

Exactly where would I see the air bubbles when I stop applying pressure upward on the plunger? What am I actually doing when I aspirate? If anyone could give me more info on this process I would appreciate it.

Thanks

[scottninpo]

it's not really an air bubble, it's a bubble caused by a vacuum in the syringe, you'll see it in the gear in the syringe, when you aspirate , you're checking to make sure you're not in a vein, if you pull back and blood comes into the syringe, you're in a vein, that's why you should pull the needle out and find a new spot with a new needle

[mike407]

Ahhh, I understand now. How far should you pull back on the plunger to aspirate ?

Thanks

[01dragonslayer]

Ahhh, I understand now. How far should you pull back on the plunger to aspirate ?

Thanks

Just enough to see the air bubbles. You'll meet some slight resistance created from the vacuum(which is good). If no resistance is met; you will aspirate some blood into the syringe and you know you'll have to rejab.

[halifax]

3 mm then it stops kind of... too much vacum that sucks the plunger back...

[Solrock]

Just make sure you ALWAYS aspirate . Even when it is tricky as hell - like shooting posterior delt with only one usable hand.