Q: I am afraid to go see a foot doctor for my heel pain or ingrown toenail, because I am afraid getting a painful shot. Is there any way to make injections less painful?

A: Yes. Having been the recipient of both nice and not-so-nice injections in doctors’ offices over the years, I am very empathetic when it comes to injections. There are special needles that a doctor can order that are much smaller than the needles traditionally used when giving injections. I order these for use with my patients. There is also a type of baking soda solution that you can mix in with your injectable anesthetic, which makes the medication much less painful to administer. I also use a cold spray on the skin to further decrease the pain of the needle. Finally, if you just take your time and give injections slowly, they hurt much less. Be encouraged!