Local anaesthetic

[KittyGlitter]

Once, when I had a local anaesthetic injection at the dentist, he told me to take deep breaths and wiggle my toes. Anyone know why he would ask me to do that?

[smudge]

When I was at ante-natal classes, wiggling our toes was just one of the relaxing exercises to do when in labour.

I always wiggle my toes when at the dentist, or having injections - it helps to relax my nerves!

[alijangra]

Its a distraction technique that is also widely used by nurses. I have said it many times!!

[lkn2cln]

I would have to guess that if your nervous than you would wiggle them quit fast and as you relaxed your wiggle would slow down,so when you were completely under the wiggle would stop.

[swamp duck]

As a student nurse (many years ago) I was taught by qualified nurses to give injections and most of them asked the patients to wiggle their toes during the procedure, when I questioned why this was done I was told that it was just a distraction. Very rarely do I have to give injections now, but I still ask patients to do this!