P.A.C.E.® Approved COURSE DESCRIPTION - National Center for ...

Family Medical History: About 80% of needle phobic patients say that a firstdegree
relative (parent, child, or sibling) also has needle phobia.
Clinical Findings
o When exposed to a needle, the patient experiences syncope, near
syncope, light-headedness, and/or vertigo along with pallor, nausea, and
sweating.
o Blood pressure or pulse, or both, drop.
o Electrocardiogram shows abnormalities or irregularities of almost any
type.
o There is a rise in stress hormones such as antidiuretic hormone,
dopamine, human growth hormone, catecholamines, corticosteroids,
renin, and beta-endorphin.
Examples of Needle Phobic Individuals
A review of the literature reveals the following examples of self-reported or diagnosed
needle phobic individuals.
1. Patient A, an expectant mother, was permitted by the court to risk the life of her
unborn child by refusing a C-section due to needle phobia. The mother did not
receive IV fluids or pain medication. The delivery was difficult and the baby
suffered serious, but not life-threatening, complications.
2. Patient B loved to travel. He restricted his travel destinations to countries that did
not require vaccinations, as he was terrified of injections. He really would like to
visit South America and Asia but vaccinations are required and he will not
receive them.
3. Patient C is an adult diagnosed with type 1 diabetes that requires twice-daily
injections of insulin. She is not able to manage her disease, as she is terrified of
giving herself the insulin injections. Due to needle phobia, she has serious
health issues that may become life threatening.
4. Patient D has experienced significant pain and developed serious periodontal
disease, resulting in the loss of teeth due to the fear of dental injections.
5. Patient E is a husband and father of two young children. He will not take out a
life insurance policy due to the requirement of blood testing. He is a needle
phobic and will not have his blood collected for the required testing.
6. Patient F is a young woman in the military. She would like to become a pilot but
the school requires blood testing prior to entry and, if she were to become a pilot,
she would be required to have annual blood tests. She is working with a
psychologist to overcome her needle phobia so she can advance her position.
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