Review: Buzzy

I've been able to check out this new product called Buzzy. Buzzy is used to help take the pain out of getting shots. Here's some more info on Buzzy from their website:

What is Buzzy®?

Buzzy® uses natural pain relief by confusing your body's own nerves and distracting attention away from the poke, thereby dulling or eliminating sharp pain. In the same way that rubbing a bumped elbow helps stop the hurt, or cool running water soothes a burn, Buzzy® bypasses sharp pain.

In an emergency department, nurses and doctors can get too busy to wait for numbing creams for needle procedures. For newly diagnosed diabetic children, the medical community has a history of expecting kids to just get used to needle pain. For shots, for bee stings, for boo-boos, for injected medicines . . . for all acute pain management, we developed Buzzy® to put instant pain management in YOUR hands.

A pilot study in adults for IV starts in the October 2009 Clinical Journal of Pain found that Buzzy significantly decreased pain. Even more interesting, the more needle anxiety subjects had, the better Buzzy worked, with a significant reduction for each centimeter of increased anxiety on a 10 centimeter scale, suggesting those who fear needles may have more sensitive nerves.

A randomized controlled trial in children needing IV starts in the emergency department was dorsum_of_handpresented at the 2010 International Society of Pediatric Pain meeting, showing significantly decreased pain by observational behavioral distress shown on videotapes, as well as child and parent report with improved IV success! Buzzy has been used for travel immunizations, fertility shots, and finger pricks, splinter removal, and flu injections with good results.

Buzzy is now being tested for immunization pain in children of all ages.



I was able to check out the Buzzy First Aid kit and it's pretty neat. I haven't been able to use it for shots yet since the kids didn't get shots at their 3 year appointment. Inside my kit there are 5 Bee-Stractors, 1 Blue Gel Wing Ice Pack, 5 Buzzy Boo-boo Bandages, 1 Really Big Boo-boo Bandage, 6 Buzzy Bravery Badges, 1 Distracting Kazoo, 2 Antiseptic Wipes and 7 BuzzDudes sticker sheets.

What I love about this is you can put the distraction cards on top of the bee so your child does not see where the needle is going.


My only concern with this product is how loud the actual Buzzy is. I think it is something you need to expose to your child before you use it for shots, that way they are used to the noise. I love the idea behind this though because the wings are an ice pack and help numb the area before the shot is administered. I know before our kids start school we're going to get flu shots for the kids and I plan on taking this with us.

Be sure to check out Buzzy's site to learn even more about this product and to order your own Buzzy. Thank you again to the amazing people at Buzzy for introducing me to this product!