Learn more about testosterone injection methods from Dr. Justin Saya, Defy’s medical director and lead practicing physician. Intramuscular injections can be uncomfortable and require a larger needle than SQ injections, and these injections are typically done once to twice a week. Intramuscular injections, or IM injections, are injected into the muscle at various points throughout the body. The injection is often more comfortable with less injection site pain, making it preferable for some testosterone replacement therapy patients. Most start conservatively, reassess at 3–6 months, and adjust by small increments (e.g., 10–20 mg/week) while watching hematocrit, PSA, blood pressure, and lipids. Your clinician might change frequency—without changing the weekly total—if you report end-of-cycle fatigue or mood swings. This prevents accidental over- or under-dosing and keeps labs interpretable. Decisions at this level should be made with a clinician who is monitoring labs at appropriate intervals (see cautions across the AUA guideline and dosing context in the Drugs.com monograph). But 200 mg/week exceeds the typical replacement range for many patients and raises safety considerations (hematocrit, blood pressure, lipids, acne, edema). Any androgen that lifts a person from deficient to physiologic levels may support improvements in lean mass and strength over time, especially when paired with progressive resistance training and adequate protein. If you can pinch about two inches of skin, you can inject by holding the needle at a 90-degree angle. This type of injection is typically used for a smaller volume of medication, usually up to 2 mL. Hold the needle at a 90-degree angle, pierce the skin, and carefully inject the medicine. Move two finger-widths down from the acromion to find your injection spot. The nurse who administers a deltoid IMI 5 cm below the acromion can therefore only be millimeters from the AXN. As a result, the total risk of bias was determined to be minimal. The studies selected for this review study used a variety of methodological techniques. Certain medical issues can cause an increased risk of serious reactions and could influence the safety and effectiveness of your treatment. Before starting testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), it’s essential to inform your doctor about any medical conditions. Many of these symptoms are conditions that would be treated easily with medical care, but it’s still important that you are aware of the possible side effects of this sort of treatment. Before injecting, clean the site thoroughly with an alcohol swab to minimise the risk of infection. Once you’ve gathered your supplies, the next step is to identify the injection site, which can vary depending on the recommendation of your medical professional. Once you know that everything is clean and safe in preparation for your testosterone injection, the next step is to gather all of the supplies that you’ll need for the process. Can I inject testosterone in the deltoid if I have very little muscle mass? How often should I rotate injection sites when using the deltoid? The needle used to draw the testosterone may become dull after piercing the vial stopper, making the injection more painful. The injection site should be about 1-2 inches below the acromion, in the middle of the thickest part of the deltoid muscle. The ideal injection volume for the deltoid muscle is typically no more than 1-2 mL. We propose an alternative site (site "b") that lies 5 fingerbreadths/10 cm below the midpoint of the lateral border of acromion as the safest site to avoid injury to the AXN, PHCA, subacromial and subdeltoid bursae, shoulder joint, and radial nerve. However, this site also could be dangerous due to the risk to subacromial bursa . However, this site could be dangerous due to the risk to subacromial bursa . The US Department of Health and Human Sciences Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2017) states that the midpoint of the deltoid is about 2 inches (or 2-3 fingerbreadths) below the acromion process and above the armpit in the middle of the upper arm. McGarvey and Hooper (2005) stated that the subdeltoid bursa extends 5 cm below the acromion process, so the midpoint of the deltoid IMI site may be dangerous . As per the guidelines issued by NITAGs in Australia (2018), the anatomic site recommended for deltoid IMI is a smaller triangle-shaped area in the middle of the deltoid, above the deltoid tuberosity.