Insulin Injection

Insulin Injection

    Insulin Injection - Your doctor can advice you on insulin injectionA minority of people with type 2 diabetes and every type 1 diabetic will need to have insulin injection every day to control their blood glucose levels.  You might be shuddering from the thought of injecting yourself every day.  Don't despair.  Your doctor or diabetes care team will give you much needed help and instruction on how you could do it.  The needles are very fine and you don't have to find a vein to insert them into.  The insulin injection sites are usually area where there is a lot of fat under the skin, such as the stomach, bottom, calves, upper arms and thighs.  You should vary the insulin injection sites every day, which means you should not inject the same site all the time.  This is to prevent scarring that can interfere with the insulin absorption.

    Most people with diabetes need to self-inject their insulin.  Insulin injection is much less daunting once you have gotten over the initial fear of injecting yourself, and before long you will be doing it without a second thought.

    You should measure your blood glucose levels at regular intervals during the day to check if your insulin injection dosage is at the correct level.

How To Inject Insulin

    Below is a step-by-step guide on how to inject insulin yourself.  You may need to take some time to perfect your skill in insulin injection.

Step-by-step Insulin Injection - How to Inject Insulin

  1. Draw up insulin into the insulin syringe.  The way you draw up the insulin depends on the type of syringe and the type of insulin you use.  Ask your doctor to show you the correct way.  Be sure to check if you have drawn up the correct dose of insulin into the syringe.
     

  2. Prepare the injection site for insulin injection.  Wipe the site of injection with cotton swab immersed in alcohol.  With one hand, pinch up the skin at the injection site.  If there is not much flesh, you will have to take the skin between your forefinger and thumb, and pinch up a small mound.
     

  3. Hold the syringe pointing downwards.  Do not touch the tip of the needle to ensure it is sterile.
     

  4. Insert the needle quickly straight into the skin perpendicularly.  The needle needs to be inserted for its entire length to ensure insulin injection of sufficient depth.  The more rapid you insert the needle, the less pain it will be.
     

  5. Hold the syringe steady and press in the plunger with the other hand.  Keep the action smooth and fast and avoid any jerky movements.
     

  6. Pull out the needle quickly and smoothly after your insulin injection.  Put some clean cotton wool over the skin and press it down firmly for a few second.

Tip :  If you find insulin injection painful at first, you may try numbing the injection site for 15 to 20 seconds by rubbing the skin on the injection site with ice.  To avoid painful injection, the needle should always be sharp.

 

Diabetes Care Home | Diabetes Mellitus | Insulin | Diabetes Symptom | Diabetes Diagnosis | Diabetes Complication | Diabetes Treatment | Diabetes Care | Herbs for Diabetes

All trademarks, registered trademarks, product names and company names or logos mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.
insulin injection information copyright © 2009 www.diabetic-diabetes-care.com