The End of Injection Pain: How I Hacked My TRT Protocol and Finally Found Relief

My name is Alex, and for the last five years, Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) has been a cornerstone of my health. When I started, it felt like a miracle. The brain fog that had clouded my days lifted, my energy returned with a vengeance, and the quiet sense of vitality I thought I’d lost for good came roaring back.¹ TRT was, without a doubt, changing my life for the better. But there was a dark side to this weekly ritual of renewal: the injection itself.

It wasn’t just the brief sting of the needle. It was the aftermath. A few hours after each injection into my thigh, a deep, throbbing ache would set in. Within a day, it would become a debilitating pain that made walking a chore, sleeping difficult, and focusing on my work a constant battle.³ I followed all the standard advice. I used the needles my doctor prescribed, I meticulously rotated injection sites, I pushed the plunger slowly and steadily.⁵ Yet, week after week, the pain returned like clockwork, turning a therapy meant to give me my life back into a dreaded ordeal.

I felt trapped. My online searches and even conversations with medical professionals yielded the same frustrating answer: “Post-injection pain is common. Just tough it out.” But that wasn’t good enough. How could a therapy designed for well-being come with such a significant, painful trade-off? I started to question everything. If I was doing everything “right,” why did this still hurt so much, and what critical piece of the puzzle were the so-called experts missing? That question sent me on a journey that would not only solve my own pain but uncover a systematic approach to making testosterone injections a painless, non-event. This is the story of how I did it.

In a Nutshell: My 4 Keys to Pain-Free Injections

For those who need answers now, here is the core of what I discovered. Eliminating post-injection pain isn’t about one magic trick; it’s about optimizing a complete system. These are the four pillars of my Precision Injection Protocol:

1. The Lubricant: Your carrier oil is the single most important, and most overlooked, factor. The thick, standard-issue oils are often the primary source of pain. Switching to a low-viscosity, low-irritation oil like MCT (Medium-Chain Triglyceride) oil is a revolutionary game-changer.
2. The Delivery System: Your injection method and hardware must be matched to your oil and your body. For most, this means moving from deep Intramuscular (IM) injections to shallow Subcutaneous (SubQ) injections and using smaller, thinner needles that cause dramatically less trauma.
3. The Technique: Flawless, repeatable technique is not a suggestion; it’s a non-negotiable requirement. This includes everything from warming the oil to numbing the site and mastering the injection itself.
4. The Triage: You must know the difference between normal, manageable soreness and the “red flag” symptoms of a serious medical issue. This knowledge removes fear and empowers you to act correctly.

Section 1: The Vicious Cycle: Why “Just Toughing It Out” Is Terrible Advice

When you first start TRT, you’re told that some discomfort is normal. And it is. An injection, by its nature, is a form of physical trauma. A needle pierces the skin and displaces muscle or fat tissue, and your body mounts a localized inflammatory response to the foreign substance—the oil vehicle carrying the testosterone.³ A little soreness for a day or two, especially with deep intramuscular injections, is to be expected.⁸

But what I was experiencing, and what so many others endure in silence, goes far beyond “a little soreness.” I remember one week I had a crucial presentation at work. I had done my injection two days prior, and the pain in my right thigh was so intense that I was visibly limping. I spent the entire meeting shifting my weight, trying to hide my discomfort, my focus split between my presentation and the burning ache in my leg. The irony was agonizing: the therapy that gave me the mental clarity to excel was physically undermining my ability to do so. It felt like a cruel joke, and it was the moment I realized that “toughing it out” wasn’t a strategy; it was a surrender.

This experience highlights a critical flaw in the conventional wisdom surrounding TRT. The constant message that significant pain is “common” or “normal” creates a culture of acceptance.⁴ Patients are led to believe they must simply endure it. This endurance, however, has cascading negative consequences that can undermine the entire goal of the therapy.

First, it creates a powerful psychological burden. The dread and anxiety that build in the hours and days leading up to an injection are real. This fear causes your muscles to tense up, and injecting into a tense muscle is significantly more painful than injecting into a relaxed one.¹⁰ This creates a vicious, self-perpetuating cycle: you fear the pain, so you tense up, which makes the pain worse, which reinforces your fear for the next time.

This cycle doesn’t just exist in a vacuum. It can lead to poor adherence to the injection schedule, a well-documented challenge in therapy compliance.¹² You might delay your shot by a day or two to avoid the pain, but this causes wider swings in your hormone levels. These fluctuations can, in turn, amplify the very symptoms TRT is meant to resolve, such as mood swings, irritability, anxiety, and fatigue.¹⁴ Therefore, dismissing post-injection pain as a minor inconvenience is medically counterproductive. It’s not just a side effect to be tolerated; it’s a “check engine light” for a poorly optimized protocol. Ignoring it doesn’t just mean you’re in pain; it means your entire therapy may be less effective than it could be.

Section 2: The Epiphany: What High-Performance Engine Lubricants Taught Me About My Body

My frustration hit a breaking point. The medical advice was a dead end. The online forums were a mix of commiseration and resignation. I knew there had to be a better answer. With a background in mechanical engineering, I have a habit of deconstructing problems into their fundamental components. One evening, while thinking about the issue, a non-obvious analogy struck me, and it changed everything.

I started thinking of my body, specifically the muscle I was injecting, as a high-performance engine. An engine requires motor oil to function. The oil’s job isn’t just to be “present”; its job is to lubricate moving parts, reduce friction, and dissipate heat, all while delivering its payload of protective additives. The properties of that oil are paramount. You wouldn’t put thick, sludgy, low-grade conventional oil in a Formula 1 engine and expect it to perform. You’d get friction, heat, and sludge build-up, ultimately damaging the engine.

The analogy clicked into place with perfect clarity:

• The Muscle: My thigh muscle was the high-performance engine, needing to function smoothly.
• The Testosterone Solution: The vial of testosterone was the motor oil. Its job was to deliver the critical hormone with minimal friction and heat.
• The Problem: I realized I was injecting the equivalent of 10W-40 conventional sludge into my high-performance engine. The testosterone was suspended in a thick, highly viscous carrier oil—in my case, cottonseed oil.¹⁶ This “sludgy” oil was difficult to push through the needle, causing immense pressure and tissue trauma on its way in (friction). Once inside the muscle, the body struggled to break down and absorb the thick oil, leading to a prolonged inflammatory response (heat) and often leaving a painful lump or nodule (sludge build-up).¹⁷

This reframing was my epiphany. The problem wasn’t my pain tolerance. It wasn’t my technique, which was by-the-book. The problem was the fundamental physicochemical properties of the fluid I was injecting.

My goal instantly shifted. It was no longer about “how to endure pain better.” It became “how to optimize the fluid dynamics of my injection.” I needed to find the equivalent of a high-grade, full-synthetic racing oil: a carrier that was thin, stable, and caused virtually no friction or inflammation. This new mental model became the foundation for the system that finally ended my pain.

Section 3: The Precision Injection Protocol: A 4-Part System to Eliminate Pain

Based on my “engine lubricant” epiphany, I developed a comprehensive, four-part system. It addresses every variable, from the chemical composition of the testosterone solution to the physical mechanics of its delivery. This is the exact protocol that took my injections from a source of weekly dread to a complete non-event.

Part 1: Choosing Your “Lubricant” – The Definitive Guide to Carrier Oils & Esters

This is the single most important step. The carrier oil—the sterile oil that the testosterone molecule is suspended in—is not just inert filler. It is an active component of your therapy that dictates viscosity (thickness), potential for irritation, and stability.¹⁸ Getting this right is 80% of the battle.

• Cottonseed & Sesame Oil (The “Conventional Motor Oil”): These are the workhorses of the pharmaceutical industry, commonly used in mass-produced, commercially available testosterone cypionate and enanthate.¹⁶ They are generally thicker (higher viscosity), which means they can be more difficult to draw into a syringe and require more force to inject. This increased pressure can cause more tissue trauma and pain. Furthermore, some individuals have sensitivities or outright allergies to these seed-based oils, leading to significant post-injection pain, inflammation, and itching.⁴
• Grapeseed Oil (GSO) (The “Semi-Synthetic Blend”): Often used by compounding pharmacies, GSO is a popular upgrade. It is noticeably thinner than cottonseed or sesame oil, which makes for a smoother, less painful injection experience.²⁰ However, GSO is higher in polyunsaturated fats, making it more prone to oxidation (going rancid) over time, which can itself be a source of inflammation.¹⁹ While a good step up, it’s not the final destination.
• MCT Oil (Medium-Chain Triglycerides) (The “Full Synthetic Racing Oil”): This was my ultimate solution. MCT oil, typically derived from coconuts, is not a seed oil.¹⁸ It has a very low viscosity, making it feel almost water-thin. This allows it to be drawn and injected effortlessly, even through extremely fine needles. It is highly stable, has a low risk of oxidation, and is exceptionally well-tolerated, with a minimal risk of irritation or allergic reactions.¹⁸ For me, switching to testosterone cypionate compounded in MCT oil was the single biggest factor in eliminating my pain.

A quick note on Testosterone Esters (Cypionate vs. Enanthate): You’ll find endless debates online about which one causes more pain. While they have slightly different chemical structures and half-lives (cypionate is around 8 days, enanthate is 7-9 days), the evidence suggests that the perceived difference in post-injection pain is overwhelmingly due to the carrier oil they are suspended in, not the ester itself.¹⁶ For example, commercial testosterone enanthate is often in thicker sesame oil, while cypionate is in cottonseed oil, leading to the myth that “enanthate hurts more”.¹⁶ The real takeaway is to focus on the oil, not the ester.

To make this clear, I’ve compiled my research into a simple comparison chart.

Table 1: Carrier Oil Clinical Comparison

Carrier Oil	Typical Viscosity	Injection Comfort (Patient-Reported)	Allergenic Potential	Key Pros	Key Cons
MCT Oil	Very Low	Excellent; minimal to no pain	Very Low	Very thin, stable, low irritation, ideal for SubQ 18	Can be more expensive, requires compounding pharmacy 20
Grapeseed Oil	Low	Good; less pain than traditional oils	Low	Thinner than cottonseed/sesame, well-tolerated 20	Shorter shelf life, prone to oxidation 19
Ethyl Oleate	Very Low	Excellent; often painless	Very Low (not seed-derived)	Extremely thin, allows for very small needles 19	Synthetic nature may be a concern for some; less common 19
Cottonseed Oil	High	Fair to Poor; often causes soreness	Moderate	Widely available in commercial products, affordable 19	Thick, can be painful, requires larger needle 17
Sesame Oil	High	Fair to Poor; can cause lumps	Moderate	Long history of use, high in antioxidants 20	Thick, can be painful, more difficult to inject 16
Castor Oil	Very High	Poor; often painful	Low to Moderate	Very slow release for long-acting formulas 20	Extreme thickness makes injection difficult and painful 20

Part 2: Optimizing the “Fuel Line” – Delivery Method (IM vs. SubQ) & Hardware

Once you’ve chosen your high-performance “lubricant,” you need the right delivery system. Pushing thin MCT oil through a huge needle is better than the alternative, but it’s still not optimal.

• The IM vs. SubQ Advantage: The standard for decades has been Intramuscular (IM) injection, delivering testosterone deep into large muscles like the glute or thigh.²³ Subcutaneous (SubQ) injection, however, delivers the hormone into the shallow layer of fat just beneath the skin, typically in the abdomen or upper thigh.²³ For pain reduction, SubQ is a clear winner. It uses a much smaller, shorter needle, which causes significantly less tissue trauma, bleeding, and discomfort.³
• Beyond Pain – The Stability Benefit: The advantages of SubQ go far beyond comfort. Multiple studies have shown that SubQ administration can result in more stable serum testosterone levels, with smaller peaks and troughs compared to IM injections.¹² This is crucial because those dramatic hormonal swings are often responsible for side effects like moodiness or anxiety. Furthermore, a key 2022 study in
  The Journal of Urology found that SubQ injections were associated with significantly lower levels of estradiol (E2) and hematocrit (HCT) compared to IM injections, suggesting a potentially preferable long-term safety profile.¹²
• Hardware Selection – The Right Tool for the Job:

• Needle Gauge (Thickness): Remember, a higher gauge number means a thinner needle.⁶ For thick oils like cottonseed, you might be stuck with a 22G or 23G needle. But with a thin oil like MCT, you can use a 25G, 27G, or even a tiny 30G insulin needle for SubQ injections. The difference in pain between a 23G and a 27G needle is night and day.
• Needle Length: IM requires a long needle (typically 1 inch to 1.5 inches) to reliably reach deep muscle tissue.²⁶ SubQ injections use very short needles (typically 1/2 inch or 5/8 inch), which are far less intimidating and painful.
• The Two-Needle Technique: This is non-negotiable for minimizing pain. The rubber stopper on a medication vial is tough. Pushing a needle through it, even once, dulls the microscopic tip. Injecting with a blunted needle tears tissue instead of piercing it, causing more pain and trauma. Always use one needle (a lower gauge, like 18G or 20G, works well) to draw the medication from the vial, and then swap it for a fresh, sterile, higher-gauge needle for the actual injection.⁶ The tiny drop of medication you might lose is an insignificant price to pay for a painless injection.

Part 3: The “Pre-Flight Check” – Flawless Injection Site Prep & Technique

Perfecting your process turns an anxious event into a calm, confident routine. Every step matters.

• Site Selection and Rotation: For IM, the ventrogluteal (upper hip) site is often cited as superior to the dorsogluteal (buttocks) or thigh, as it’s free of major nerves and blood vessels.²⁸ For SubQ, the abdomen (at least 2 inches away from the navel) and the fatty part of the upper/outer thigh are excellent choices.²⁹ The most important rule is to
  rotate your injection site every single time. Keep a log if you have to. Continually injecting into the same spot leads to scar tissue formation and fatty lumps (lipohypertrophy), which makes future injections more painful and can impair absorption.⁴
• Aseptic Technique: This is basic but critical. Wash your hands thoroughly. Wipe the top of the vial with an alcohol swab. Wipe the injection site with another alcohol swab and—this is key—let the alcohol dry completely before injecting. Injecting through wet alcohol is what causes that sharp stinging sensation.⁶
• Pre-Injection Comfort Measures:

• Warming the Oil: Never inject cold oil. If your testosterone is stored at a cool room temperature, warm the filled syringe by rolling it between your palms for a minute or holding it under warm running water. This thins the oil, reducing its viscosity and making the injection smoother.⁶
• Numbing the Site: This can be a huge help, especially when you’re starting out. Apply an ice pack to the site for a few minutes beforehand, or talk to your doctor about using an over-the-counter topical numbing cream containing lidocaine.¹⁰
• The Injection Itself:

• Angle of Entry: For IM, the angle should be 90 degrees to the skin, like throwing a dart.²⁶ For SubQ, if you can pinch an inch of skin, go in at a 45-degree angle; if you can pinch two inches, 90 degrees is fine.¹⁷
• Speed and Pressure: The insertion of the needle should be quick and confident—hesitation can make it more painful.¹¹ However, the depression of the plunger should be
  slow and steady. Injecting the oil too quickly forces the tissue to expand rapidly, creating pressure and pain.³ Give the tissue time to accommodate the fluid.
• Aspiration: This is the practice of pulling back on the plunger after the needle is in to see if you’ve hit a blood vessel (you’ll see blood enter the syringe). While historically standard for IM injections, many modern protocols no longer require it for injections in the thigh or deltoid, as major vessels are rare.⁵ It is generally not performed for SubQ injections. This is a perfect topic to discuss with your healthcare provider.

Part 4: The “Cool-Down Lap” – Intelligent Aftercare for Rapid Recovery

What you do in the minutes and hours after the shot can significantly impact soreness and recovery time.

• Immediate Post-Injection: Once the needle is out, apply gentle pressure to the site with a sterile cotton ball or gauze for a minute. Do not rub the area vigorously, as this can damage capillaries and increase bruising.⁵
• Managing Inflammation: For the first few hours, a cold pack applied to the site for 10-15 minutes can work wonders to reduce any initial swelling, redness, and pain.⁷
• Gentle Massage and Movement: A few hours later or the following day, very gentle massage of the area and light activity (like walking) can help stimulate blood flow. This helps your body disperse and absorb the oil depot more quickly, shortening the duration of any lingering soreness.¹⁰
• Over-the-Counter Relief: If you do have some residual achiness, an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen can be effective.⁷ With my current protocol, I never need this, but it’s a good tool to have in your back pocket.

Section 4: The Red Flag Checklist: When Normal Pain Becomes a Medical Emergency

My journey taught me that taking control means being both proactive and vigilant. While my protocol is designed to eliminate pain, it’s absolutely critical for anyone on TRT to be able to distinguish between benign, expected soreness and the symptoms of a serious medical complication. Fear and anxiety often stem from the unknown. This checklist is designed to replace that fear with knowledge, giving you a clear framework for when to self-treat, when to call your doctor, and when to seek emergency care.

The scattered warnings found across medical literature and drug inserts can be confusing.⁷ Simply listing symptoms isn’t helpful in a moment of panic. A more effective approach is to categorize potential problems by the threat they represent: Infection, Allergic Reaction, Nerve Issue, or a Vascular/Pulmonary Event. This allows you to match what you’re experiencing to a potential cause and understand the required level of urgency. This transforms a simple list of warnings into a practical triage tool, dramatically enhancing your safety.

Use the following table as your guide. If you are ever in doubt, always err on the side of caution and contact a healthcare professional.

Table 2: Post-Injection Symptom Guide: Normal vs. Red Flag

Symptom Category	What It Looks/Feels Like	What It Likely Means (and Urgency)	Recommended Action
Normal Reaction	Mild to moderate soreness, ache, or tenderness at the injection site. Slight redness, minor swelling, or a small, firm lump that gradually disappears. Minor itching at the site.	NORMAL: This is the expected local inflammatory response to the injection. Symptoms should peak within 24-48 hours and resolve within a few days.4	Self-Care: Apply a cold pack. Use OTC pain relievers if needed. Continue to monitor.7
Infection	Pain that is severe and worsening after 48 hours. Spreading redness that expands. The area feels hot to the touch. Pus or clear fluid draining from the site. Red streaks spreading from the site (cellulitis). Fever, chills, and muscle aches.7	RED FLAG (URGENT): A bacterial infection has occurred, likely from non-sterile technique or equipment. This requires medical treatment.	Call Your Doctor Immediately. You will likely need antibiotics. Do not delay.31
Allergic Reaction	Localized: Intense itching, rash, or hives confined to the injection area. Systemic (Anaphylaxis): Hives/rash spreading over your body, swelling of the face, lips, or throat, difficulty breathing, wheezing, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, feeling of impending doom.7	RED FLAG (EMERGENCY): You are having an allergic reaction to the testosterone or, more likely, the carrier oil. A systemic reaction is a life-threatening emergency.	For Local Reaction: Call your doctor. For Systemic (Anaphylaxis) Symptoms: Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.7
Nerve Issue	A sharp, shooting, or “electric shock” pain that radiates down your leg during the injection. Persistent numbness, tingling, or weakness in the limb after the injection.	RED FLAG (URGENT): The needle has likely irritated or hit a nerve, such as the sciatic nerve if injecting in the gluteal region.38	If this happens during injection, withdraw the needle immediately. Do not inject. Contact your doctor to report the event and discuss injection sites and technique.38
Vascular/Pulmonary Event (POME)	Occurs during or immediately after the injection. A sudden urge to cough or a violent coughing fit. Shortness of breath, chest pain or tightness, dizziness, fainting, sweating, throat tightening.37	RED FLAG (EMERGENCY): This is a rare complication called Pulmonary Oil Microembolism (POME), where a small amount of the oil has entered the bloodstream and traveled to the lungs.	This is a medical emergency. Call 911 or have someone take you to the nearest emergency room immediately.37

Section 5: Your Questions, Answered: The Ultimate TRT Injection FAQ

Throughout my research, I encountered the same questions again and again. Here are the clear, concise answers I wish I had from the start.

Q: How do I know if I’m allergic to my carrier oil versus just irritated by it?

A: This is a crucial distinction. Irritation is a localized, non-immune response. It presents as redness, soreness, and maybe a hard lump directly at the injection site. It’s annoying but not dangerous. A true allergic reaction is an immune system response. It can start locally with intense itching and hives but can become systemic. Look for signs like a rash spreading beyond the injection site, hives appearing elsewhere on your body, or any symptoms of anaphylaxis like swelling of the lips/throat or difficulty breathing.40 If you suspect an allergy to a new oil, you can perform a patch test: apply a small drop to your forearm, cover it with a bandage, and wait 24-48 hours to check for a reaction.40

Q: Is Subcutaneous (SubQ) injection really as effective as Intramuscular (IM)?

A: Yes. High-quality research has demonstrated that SubQ administration of testosterone results in comparable serum testosterone levels and pharmacokinetic profiles to IM injections.13 In fact, as mentioned earlier, SubQ may offer superior stability and a better safety profile regarding estradiol and hematocrit levels, making it not just an alternative but potentially a preferable method for many men.12

Q: My doctor only prescribes the standard testosterone from the big pharmacy, which uses cottonseed oil. What can I do?

A: This is a common hurdle. You need to become an informed advocate for your own health. Understand that there is a difference between mass-produced, FDA-approved testosterone (which usually comes in a pre-determined carrier oil) and testosterone prepared by a compounding pharmacy. Compounding pharmacies can create your prescription using a specific carrier oil of your choice, like MCT or Grapeseed oil.17 Have a conversation with your doctor. Explain your issues with post-injection pain and present them with the information about different carrier oils. Ask for a prescription that can be filled at a reputable compounding pharmacy.

Q: Seriously, how long should the pain really last?

A: Let’s set a realistic baseline. With a standard IM injection using a thicker oil, mild to moderate soreness lasting 1 to 3 days can be considered within the normal range.4 However, if the pain is severe, prevents you from normal activities, or lasts beyond 3-4 days, it’s a clear sign that your protocol needs optimization. With my current SubQ protocol using MCT oil, I have zero pain after the injection. That should be the goal.

Q: Does the time of day I inject matter?

A: From a physiological standpoint, no. Studies have not shown any difference in efficacy based on whether you inject in the morning, afternoon, or evening.6 However, from a behavioral standpoint, it matters immensely. The key to successful TRT is consistency. Choosing a specific time and day and building a steadfast routine is the best way to ensure you never miss a dose.6

Q: I’m worried about losing medication if I switch needles after drawing. Is it worth it?

A: Absolutely, 100% yes. The microscopic amount of oil that remains in the needle hub is clinically insignificant. The benefit you gain from injecting with a pristine, sharp needle—in terms of dramatically reduced pain, less tissue damage, and lower risk of infection—far outweighs the negligible loss of medication.6 Think of it as a tiny investment for a massive return in comfort.

Conclusion: Reclaiming Your TRT Journey

I remember my old injection routine vividly: the anxiety, the deep breath before the painful plunge, and the days of limping that followed. Today, my reality is completely different. My weekly injection is a quick, two-minute, painless process that I genuinely don’t think about. It’s a calm moment of self-care, not a source of dread. The “static” of the pain is gone, and for the first time, I feel like I am experiencing the full, unadulterated benefits of my therapy—the clear mind, the steady energy, the profound sense of well-being.³²

My story is proof that you do not have to accept chronic pain as a prerequisite for TRT. You are the CEO of your own health, and your doctor is your most important consultant. This guide is designed to give you the knowledge and framework to be a better CEO. Use it to have smarter conversations with your provider. Ask about compounding pharmacies. Inquire about MCT oil. Discuss the possibility of switching to subcutaneous injections.

The ultimate goal of Testosterone Replacement Therapy is to improve your quality of life, not to trade one set of problems for another. By systematically optimizing your protocol—your lubricant, your delivery system, and your technique—you can eliminate pain from the equation. You can stop being a patient who endures treatment and become a high-performing individual who has mastered it. You can, and should, reclaim the full promise of your TRT journey.

Works cited

1. Testosterone Cypionate vs Testosterone Enanthate TRT | Los Angeles, CA, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://houmanmd.com/testosterone-cypionate-vs-testosterone-enanthate-which-is-right-for-you/
2. How I Reclaimed My Life With Low Testosterone – iThriveMD, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.ithrivemd.com/blog/low-t-story
3. Why do intramuscular testosterone injections cause pain? – Dr.Oracle, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.droracle.ai/articles/59804/why-do-testosterone-shots-hurt-
4. Testosterone Injection Pain and Swelling | Am I Okay? – Page 2 – TG Supply, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://transguysupply.com/blogs/news/testosterone-injection-pain?page=2
5. How to Give an Intramuscular Shot: Care Instructions – MyHealth Alberta, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/aftercareinformation/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=abl4066
6. How To Self-Administer Testosterone Injections – Hone Health, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://honehealth.com/edge/self-injection-testosterone-hormone-instructions/
7. www.saintlukeskc.org, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.saintlukeskc.org/health-library/understanding-post-injection-inflammation
8. Factors influencing time course of pain after depot oil intramuscular injection of testosterone undecanoate – ResearchGate, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/41192006_Factors_influencing_time_course_of_pain_after_depot_oil_intramuscular_injection_of_testosterone_undecanoate
9. Tolerability of intramuscular injections of testosterone ester in oil vehicle – PubMed, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7650133/
10. 5 Ways To Take the Sting out of Self-Injections – Arthritis Foundation, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.arthritis.org/drug-guide/medication-topics/take-the-sting-out-of-self-injections
11. 7 Tips For Overcoming Fear of Self-Injection – FOLX HEALTH, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.folxhealth.com/library/overcoming-fear-of-self-injection
12. Comparison of Outcomes for Hypogonadal Men Treated with Intramuscular Testosterone Cypionate versus Subcutaneous Testosterone Enanthate – Journal of Urology, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.auajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1097/JU.0000000000002301
13. Testosterone Therapy With Subcutaneous Injections: A Safe, Practical, and Reasonable Option – PMC – PubMed Central, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9006970/
14. Are There Mental Side Effects of Testosterone Injections? | Good Health by Hims, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.hims.com/blog/mental-side-effects-testosterone-injections
15. How Does TRT Make You Feel? 4 Key Emotional Benefits – Optimale, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.optimale.co.uk/how-does-trt-make-you-feel/
16. Comparing Testosterone Cypionate vs. Enanthate – Verywell Health, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.verywellhealth.com/testosterone-cypionate-vs-enanthate-8698016
17. Do Testosterone Injections Hurt? – Defy Medical, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.defymedical.com/blog/do-testosterone-injections-hurt/
18. MCT vs. Seed Oil in Injectable Testosterone: What You Need to Know – Marek Health, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://marekhealth.com/blog/lifestyle-wellness/holistic-health/mct-oil-injectable-testosterone
19. Carrier Oil Comparison for Testosterone Injections: Ethyl Oleate vs. Grapeseed vs. Cottonseed – Massey Drugs, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://masseydrugs.com/carrier-oil-comparison-for-testosterone-injections-ethyl-oleate-vs-grapeseed-oil-vs-cottonseed-oil/
20. Best Carrier Oils for Testosterone Replacement Therapy – Grinder Gym, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://grindergym.com/best-carrier-oils-for-testosterone-replacement-therapy-trt/
21. Best Carrier Oil for TRT – Quali-T Men’s Health, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://quali-tmenshealth.com/mct-oil-for-trt-best-carrier-oil
22. What is the difference between testosterone cypionate and testosterone enanthate? – Dr.Oracle, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://droracle.ai/articles/59418/what-is-the-difference-between-testosterone-cypionate-and-testosterone-enanthate
23. Injecting Testosterone IM or SubQ? Complete TRT Comparison by Medical Specialists, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.medicalspecialistsmn.com/post/testosterone-im-or-subq
24. Pharmacokinetics, safety, and patient acceptability of subcutaneous versus intramuscular testosterone injection for gender-affirming therapy: A pilot study | Request PDF – ResearchGate, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322712788_Pharmacokinetics_safety_and_patient_acceptability_of_subcutaneous_versus_intramuscular_testosterone_injection_for_gender-affirming_therapy_A_pilot_study
25. What are the differences between subcutaneous and intramuscular (IM) testosterone injections for testosterone replacement therapy (TRT)? – Dr.Oracle, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.droracle.ai/articles/153623/tell-me-about-subcutaneous-testosterone-injections-versus-intramuscular
26. How to Give Yourself an Intra-Muscular Testosterone Cypionate Injection – Brown University Health, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.brownhealth.org/sites/default/files/2021-04/mhc-video-testosterone-injection-instructions-may-2020.pdf
27. TRANSGENDER HEALTH Injection Guide, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://health.cornell.edu/sites/health/files/docs/External%20Weblinks/Self-injections.pdf
28. The effect of intramuscular injection technique on injection associated pain; a systematic review and meta-analysis – Research journals – PLOS, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?type=printable&id=10.1371/journal.pone.0250883
29. 5 Ways to Reduce Pain of Self-Injected Drug Treatments – Verywell Health, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.verywellhealth.com/tips-to-reduce-injection-pain-2616540
30. Learn How to Inject | Lantus® (insulin glargine injection) 100 Units/mL, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.lantus.com/how-to-use/how-to-inject
31. How to Recognize a Serious Injection Site Reaction – Verywell Health, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.verywellhealth.com/injection-side-effects-call-doctor-2616542
32. Testosterone Therapy changed my life. AMA : r/IAmA – Reddit, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/isa5r/testosterone_therapy_changed_my_life_ama/
33. How To Self-Administer Testosterone Injections – Low T Center, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://lowtcenter.com/news-article/how-to-self-administer-testosterone-injections/
34. Discharge Instructions: Giving Yourself an Intramuscular (IM) Injection in the Upper Arm, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.saintlukeskc.org/health-library/discharge-instructions-giving-yourself-intramuscular-im-injection-upper-arm
35. Managing Post Injection Pain After a Week – My Vaccine Lawyer, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.myvaccinelawyer.com/vaccine-injury-lawyer/resources/managing-post-injection-pain-after-a-week
36. Injection Site Reactions: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention – GoodRx, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/allergies/injection-site-reaction
37. Testosterone Injection: MedlinePlus Drug Information, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a614041.html
38. Risks of intramuscular injection – Dopinglinkki, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://dopinglinkki.fi/en/info-bank/other-information/risks-of-intramuscular-injection/
39. Factors influencing time course of pain after depot oil intramuscular injection of testosterone undecanoate – PubMed Central, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3739103/
40. Essential Oil Allergic Reaction: Symptoms, Treatments, and Prevention – Healthline, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.healthline.com/health/essential-oil-allergic-reaction
41. Testosterone (intramuscular route, subcutaneous route) – Side effects & dosage, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/testosterone-intramuscular-route-subcutaneous-route/description/drg-20095183
42. Castor Oil Allergy: Risks, Side Effects, and Treatments – Wyndly, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.wyndly.com/blogs/learn/castor-oil-allergy
43. Our Patient Testimonials | The Men’s Health Clinic, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://themenshealthclinic.co.uk/testimonials/
44. ‘My energy is back’: how testosterone replacement therapy is changing men’s lives, accessed on August 7, 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/sep/09/my-energy-is-back-how-testosterone-replacement-therapy-is-changing-mens-lives