The pain associated with an injection or minor surgical procedure at a site on
the skin of a patient is reduced by urging a skin engaging surface of a pressure
member against the skin proximate the site, thereby stimulating the large diameter
afferent sensory nerve fibers in the skin proximate the site and at least partially
blocking pain signals from the small diameter afferent pain nerve fibers in the
skin proximate the site. An apparatus for use in this method comprises a pressure
member having a skin engaging surface adapted to be pressed against the skin of
a patient proximate the site to stimulate the large diameter afferent sensory nerve
fibers in the skin proximate the site. In certain embodiments, the skin engaging
surface is comprised of a plurality of projections extending from the pressure
member. Various embodiments include a syringe retainer adapted to be secured to
a syringe, and a least one resilient member, such as a spring, resiliently securing
the pressure member to the syringe retainer.
