About numbing medicine

Using numbing medicine can help lessen the pain from a needle.

Numbing medicine could be a cream, gel, or patch. Your pharmacist can help you choose the right product, show you how to use it safely, and talk about possible side effects.

You will need to put the numbing medicine on before you come to the appointment. If you remove the medicine before you see the nurse for the vaccine, use a pen to draw a circle around the area that was numbed so the nurse can see it.

Where to put numbing medicine

The area of the body where the vaccine will be given (such as the arm or leg) depends on your age. This area is called the injection site.

Use the Babies & preschoolers and Older children & adults tabs on this page to find information on injection sites for different age groups.

These are the areas of the body where public health nurses usually give vaccines. This can help you and the pharmacist know where to put the numbing medicine.

Injection sites for routine immunizations

Your child may need more vaccines than those shown below if they have a medical condition or they’re 1 or more visits behind schedule.

2-month visit:

• 2 injections
• Usual injection sites: Both legs as shown in diagram A

4-month visit:

• 3 injections
• Usual injection sites: Both legs as shown in diagram A. (There will be 2 injections in 1 leg and 1 injection in the other leg.)

6-month visit:

• 1 injection
• Usual injection site: One leg as shown in diagram A

12-month visit:

• 3 injections
• Usual injection sites: Both arms as shown in diagram B, one arm as shown in diagram C. (There will be 2 injections in 1 arm and 1 injection in the other arm.)

18-month visit:

• 2 injections
• Usual injection sites: One arm as shown in diagram B, other arm as shown in diagram C

4 to 6-year preschool visit:

• 1 injection
• Usual injection site: One arm as shown in diagram B
• If your child has not had their second dose of MMR-Var vaccine, a second injection will go in the other arm as shown in diagram C

Injection site for influenza vaccine

Ages 6 months to under 1 year:

The injection will go in the leg as shown in diagram A. Your child will get injections in both legs if they are having more than 1 vaccine at the appointment—for example, they are getting the influenza vaccine at the same time as other routine immunizations.

Ages 1 year or older:

The injection will go in the arm as shown in diagram B. Your child will get injections in both arms if they are having more than 1 vaccine at the appointment—for example, they are getting the influenza vaccine at the same time as other routine immunizations.

Usual injection sites

These are the areas of the body where public health nurses usually give vaccines, also called injection sites. This can help you know where to put the numbing medicine.

Vaccines given in shoulder muscle

DIAGRAM A: Shoulder muscle (deltoid). Injection site is shaded.

• dTap vaccine (Diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertusis)
• HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccine
• HBV vaccine (Hepatitis B)
• MenC-ACYW vaccine (Meningococcal conjugate A, C, Y, W-135)
• Influenza vaccine

The injection will be in 1 arm as shown in diagram A if you are getting 1 vaccine. If you are getting 2 or more vaccines, the injection will be in the area shown in diagram A, but in both arms.

Vaccines given between skin and muscle of upper arm

DIAGRAM B: Between skin and muscle of upper arm. The injection site is shaded.

• IPV vaccine (Polio)
• MMR vaccine (Measles, mumps, rubella)
• MMR-Var vaccine (Measles, mumps, rubella, varicella)
• VZ vaccine (Chickenpox)

The injection will be in 1 arm as shown in diagram B if you are getting 1 vaccine. If you are getting 2 or more vaccines, the injection will be in the area shown in diagram B, but in both arms.