How To Inject Insulin





Diabetes is becoming an increasingly common disease these days. It occurs when the beta cells of the body's pancreas gland stops producing the amount of insulin required to regulate blood sugar. Since it is a chronic condition, it requires constant monitoring. Diabetes patients are treated with insulin shots to keep their blood sugar levels under control. Insulin syringes with 25 gauge needles are available with various medical suppliers today; they are ideal insulin syringes a diabetic patient needs to get home.

Many a times diabetic patients are anxious about the pain that comes with injections. However, if done in the right way and with adequate care, one can inject insulin without causing pain.

If you are a diabetic or have a diabetes patient in the house, it helps to know how to inject insulin. Follow the instructions given below step-by-step and lose the fear of giving or taking injections with insulin syringes:

1. Gently remove the caps at either end of the syringe. Pull the plunger back and draw up air into the syringe. The unit of air drawn should be the same as the number of units of insulin you intend to inject.

2. Push the needle into the insulin vial and inject the air into it. The pressure inside the vial will help to draw up insulin.

3. Now hold the insulin vial upside down and push the syringe needle into the vial. Make sure that the end of the needle of the syringe is surrounded by the insulin and not air. Then draw up the required number of units plus a few units more.

4. Hold the syringe with the needle pointing up and tap the syringe with a fingernail to move bubbles, if any, towards the top of the syringe. With the syringe still upright, push the plunger into the syringe until the required number of units remain in the syringe. Now remove the syringe from the vial.

5. Find a suitable area on the body to inject the syringe. Insulin should be injected into soft fatty area of the body such as the abdomen, the top of the thighs and the buttocks. The areas around navel, the middle of the abdomen, joints and the groin area should be avoided. Clean the injection site first with an alcohol wipe.

6. Hold the injection in the hand that you use to write. Gently pinch about 2 to 3 inches of the skin where you're going to inject with your other hand. Then push the needle slowly and steadily into the fold of skin. As the needle gets fully in the skin, push down the plunger to deliver all the insulin in the syringe into the bloodstream. Hold the needle in the skin for about 10 seconds and then remove it. This will help in preventing the insulin from leaking out.

7. Insulin syringes should be thrown away after their first use. They should be disposed of in a medical sharps containers only. Disposal in regular waste bin should be avoided at all costs.

Location: E-46/10, Pocket D, Okhla Phase II, Okhla Industrial Area, New Delhi, Delhi, India

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