Nearly 17,000 years ago, ancient cavemen (or women) used needles of bone to sew animal hides together. Around 400 years ago, the first forms of intravenous injection were documented. The precursor of today’s hypodermic needle was invented in 1853. It was revolutionary because it was hollow, to allow for medication to be passed into the body, but it was also narrow enough and sharp enough to pierce the skin on its own without the aid of a sharp knife to make an incision.
Disposable syringe and needle combinations weren’t used on a widespread basis until the 1950s. The first plastic disposable syringe came along in 1956.
Needles and syringes have evolved extensively since the days of bone needles, yet they are continuing to be improved upon all the time.
If you are someone who needs to self-administer medication on a frequent basis, you are more than likely very interested in future improvements in needle technology.
Hopefully, you don’t have “needle phobia,” also known as belonephobia, which is in fact a documented condition. It is estimated that nearly 10 percent of the United States population suffers from this affliction, but those numbers are probably skewed. Most people who have a severe fear of needles avoid the doctor’s office or the hospital at all costs, so the actual numbers may be higher. Some cases of belonephobia are so severe that the person actually has what is known as a vasovagal reaction: their central nervous system shifts into fight or flight mode and their blood vessels dilate, which results in a drop in blood pressure and a subsequent fainting spell.
As a nod to needlephobes everywhere, there are some less fearsome alternatives to the traditional pointy sharp needle. Although not in widespread use yet, they might give a needlephobe something to look forward to.
Microneedle
The microneedle is a totally painless alternative to the traditional needle. In fact, it doesn’t even resemble a needle – it looks a lot like a nicotine patch or a large square band-aid. One microneedle consists of about 400 microscopic needles that are made from silicon. Each is about the diameter of a human hair.
These needles are so small that the patient doesn’t even feel them enter into his skin. They are hollow, like traditional needles, so they allow medicine to be passed into the body. This invention allows for any type of medication that is traditionally used with a standard needle and a syringe to be passed through the skin without getting down to the nerve cells that cause the “ouch.” Sensors within the “patch” control the dosage – time of day, how much to administer, and how often to administer.
Hypospray
The hypospray is simply a device that uses high-powered helium to spray powdered medicine on the skin, and the skin absorbs the medicine. There are some challenges with this device – not all medicine can be formulated in powder form, and you can’t be sure about an exact dosage if you are relying on skin absorption for administering the medication.
Either way – a patch and a spray on your skin may be much more preferable to a needle!