Intramuscular injection

Intramuscular (also IM or im) injection is the injection of a substance directly into a muscle. In medicine, it is one of several alternative methods for the administration of medications (see route of administration). It is used for particular forms of medication that are administered in small volumes. Depending on the chemical properties of the drug, the medication may either be absorbed fairly quickly or more gradually. Intramuscular injections are often given in the deltoid muscle of the arm, the vastus lateralis muscle of the leg, and the ventrogluteal and dorsogluteal muscles of the buttocks. Depending on the injection site, an administration is limited to between 2 and 5 milliliters of fluid.

Uses
Examples of medications that are sometimes administered intramuscularly are:
 * Haloperidol (Haldol)
 * Chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
 * Lorazepam (Ativan)
 * Codeine
 * Morphine
 * Methotrexate
 * Metoclopramide
 * Olanzapine
 * Streptomycin
 * Diazepam
 * Prednisone
 * Penicillin
 * Interferon beta-1a
 * Sex hormones, such as testosterone, estradiol valerate, and medroxyprogesterone acetate (as Depo Provera)
 * Dimercaprol
 * Ketamine
 * Lupron
 * Naloxone
 * Quinine, in its gluconate form
 * Vitamin B12, also known as cyanocobalamin
 * Risperdone

In addition, some vaccines are administered intramuscularly:


 * Gardasil
 * Hepatitis A vaccine
 * Rabies vaccine
 * Influenza vaccines based on inactivated viruses are commonly administered intramuscularly (although there is active research being conducted as to the best route of administration).

Platelet-rich plasma injections can be administered intramuscularly.

Certain substances (e.g. ketamine) are injected intramuscularly for recreational purposes.