Over the years the advice I've given to injectors has developed and changed. Sometimes this is because of new research, and sometimes it's just because I realise that there is better advice I could be giving.

Todays article is why I no longer tell steroid injectors that the glute is the best place to inject.

This is the third and final part of my raising a vein series of articles, previous ones have covered using warmth and using exercise. Now I’m going to cover slapping, gravity and relaxation.

Yes, I know that’s a strange mix for one article, but I’m trying to cover all the gaps left by the other articles.

This is the second in a series on strategies to help raise a vein. Last time I talked about the importance of keeping warm when trying to find a vein, this time I’d like to talk about exercise and diet.

In my opinion not enough needle programme (NSP) workers or injectors even consider these something to talk about.

Working with injectors isn’t just about giving out clean equipment, you should also be aware of some of the more practical issues faced by people on a daily basis. And of course one of the major ones is getting a vein to inject into in the first place.

This is the first in a short series of articles aimed at increasing access to veins.