Tips to reduce anxiety and pain during a blood draw

Posted By Suborna Fermi Posted on Jun 15, 2025

Diagnostic tests help us get our hidden diseases detected so that we can take necessary actions at the right time. As we all know, a huge number of tests demand blood samples for examination purposes. However, the blood drawing process is not pleasant for many of us as it causes a little pain and discomfort. It’s also natural to experience anxiety when the blood sample is being collected.

Overcoming the fear is compulsory because we all are going to need blood tests at some points of our lives that will contribute to our wellbeing. A huge number of people who are suffering from needle-phobia or trypanophobia may experience significant anxiety at the time when the medical professional fetches the blood from the vein before the test.

What is the fear of needles?

Trypanophobia, or the disorder of extreme fear of needles, is a serious mental condition which may lead to anxiety. It usually develops from any traumatic blood-fetching experience in childhood or the memories of observing someone else reacting excessively painfully when the needle is inserted. Apart from that, a lot of people are naturally sensitive to needles, which may trigger vasovagal reactions during their exposure to needles, which may cause a sudden drop in blood pressure.

In this article, we will help you find ways to manage the anxiety so that you can feel empowered and stay completely normal during the blood collection process.

5 essential tips to manage anxiety and pain during a blood draw

• Prepare your mind: Sounds simple, but it is the smartest thing to do at first before the blood fetching process starts.
• Get enough hydrated: Consuming plenty of water is something you can do to minimize your discomfort during the blood collection process. If you are hydrated enough then your veins will stay fuller, hence, easier to access. So the phlebotomist will not need to make multiple attempts to find the vein and it will reduce anxiety and pain.
• Discuss with the phlebotomist: The medical professionals are always keen to keep the blood collection process as comfortable as possible. So you can clear all your doubts about the process by asking questions. You may also ask whether the use of butterfly needles is possible or not as those are often less painful compared to other ones.
• Apply relaxation techniques: Getting afraid and anxious will only worsen the discomfort during the blood collection process, so you must try to keep yourself relaxed. Try common relaxation techniques like taking a deep breath, imagining yourself in a calm and peaceful environment or try to stay as mindful as possible by trying to stay strongly focused on your thoughts.
• Stay distracted: Try to stay distracted as much as possible as it may help to minimize the discomfort. Keep your mind engaged somewhere else by playing your favourite music or your favourite movie. Also, using a stress ball can also help to reduce nervousness by eliminating stress.

Apart from all these, you can also request the phlebotomist to apply some topical anesthetic cream on that particular area from where the blood is supposed to be fetched. It usually helps to minimize the pain a bit. Nowadays, such creams are available over-the-counter almost everywhere. Last but not least, try not to intake alcohol or caffeine on the day of blood sample collection as those may dehydrate your body and make it hard for the phlebotomist to find the vein.