art ing ▁motion ▁per pend icular ▁to ▁the ▁patient ' s ▁body ▁at ▁an ▁angle ▁between ▁ 7 2 ▁and ▁ 9 0 ▁degrees , ▁as ▁a ▁faster ▁injection ▁is ▁less ▁pain ful . ▁The ▁need le ▁is ▁then ▁stabil ized ▁with ▁the ▁non - domin ant ▁hand ▁while ▁the ▁dominant ▁hand ▁sl ides ▁to ▁the ▁pl ung er ▁to ▁slowly ▁inst ill ▁the ▁medic ation , ▁as ▁a ▁rapid ▁injection ▁causes ▁more ▁dis com fort . ▁The ▁CD C ▁does ▁not ▁recommend ▁the ▁out dated ▁practice ▁of ▁asp ir ating ▁for ▁blood ▁to ▁rule ▁out ▁inject ing ▁into ▁a ▁blood ▁vessel . ▁The ▁need le ▁is ▁with dra wn ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁angle ▁inserted . ▁Using ▁the ▁" Z ▁track " ▁or ▁z ig z ag ▁technique ▁is ▁recommended , ▁where ▁the ▁skin ▁is ▁pulled ▁and ▁held ▁down ▁to ▁one ▁side ▁with ▁the ▁non - domin ant ▁hand ▁about ▁an ▁in ch ▁and ▁after ▁the ▁need le ▁is ▁with dra wn ▁the ▁disp la ced ▁skin ▁is ▁allowed ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁its ▁normal ▁position . ▁This ▁is ▁to ▁ensure ▁that ▁the ▁medic ation ▁does ▁not ▁leak ▁back ▁along ▁the ▁need le ▁track . ▁Gent le ▁pressure ▁is ▁applied ▁with ▁a ▁gau ze ▁but ▁the ▁site ▁is ▁not ▁mass aged ▁to ▁prevent ▁forcing ▁the ▁medic ation ▁into ▁sub cut aneous ▁t issue . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁Sub cut aneous ▁injection ▁ ▁In tra ven ous ▁injection ▁ ▁In trad erm al ▁injection ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁▁ ▁Pre vention ▁and ▁Control