One form of drug abuse involves injecting the drug into the body, and this can have many different risks associated with it. Users often start injecting drugs because the effect is faster and stronger, and this can be done in one of three ways. The injection may be given in the vein, in the muscle, or under the skin in a technique called skin popping. In addition to all of the risks that are found with the substance that is being injected there are also others. The injection site could become infected, and this may require strong antibiotics. Abscesses can form and may need to be surgically removed because of the needle going deep into the tissue or vein. Scar tissue can also form from the damage caused, and this can cause blockages.
Adulterants and fillers can be found in many drugs, and when these are injected into your body there are many potential complications that can be caused. These can cause nerve and lunge damage, interfere with vision, increase the risk of serious infections, and even cause seizures or death. Many infections can also be transmitted when needles are shared. These include HIV, hepatitis, and others. Paralysis can occur if the wrong nerves are damaged by the puncture, and most individuals will have pain and swelling at the injection site. Users who inject the drug of choice face many more risks than those who smoke or snort the substance, but any form of substance abuse carries many risks that could cause life altering damage and injuries or even death.
