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Medical Video: How to Use an Insulin Pen - Mayo Clinic Patient Education
If you have type 1 diabetes, you are naturally used to getting insulin injections. For those of you who have type 2 diabetes, you might not routinely get insulin injections but what's wrong with just in case? Insulin injections for type 1 and 2 diabetes patients are adjusted based on body weight, health condition, diet, exercise routine, and your insulin resistance.
If you have type 2 diabetes, you can start using insulin for a few moments and no need to continue if your weight is balanced and you exercise regularly. But if you have type 1 diabetes, you should routinely use insulin to keep your blood sugar level stable.
For those of you who have to inject insulin regularly, you certainly want to be able to do it yourself at home. We have tips so you can inject insulin yourself at home.
Before starting, the things you have to do are:
- Learn how to inject insulin yourself
- Inject your insulin in a different place
- Test your blood sugar level
- Make sure the hands and syringe are sterile
- Always use a new needle every time you inject
Steps:
- Inject a little insulin out of the ampoule into the air, to make sure the tip of the needle is filled with insulin, and not air. This step is called "air shot"
- Inject insulin into a part that contains a lot of fat like the upper thigh or buttocks.
- Pinch the area of the skin to be injected (but not too hard because it will make the skin pale and sore) and insert the needle at a 90 degree angle. No need to replace with a shorter needle, unless your body is very thin. Consult a doctor if you have questions about this.
- Inject the needle into the area you want. If your area hurts after you have finished injecting, compress it with ice for 15-20 seconds.
- Make sure the syringe and pen actually enter the skin and count for 10 beats before removing the injection
- Remove the pinch and discard the syringe in a safe place
Tips when injecting insulin
Stomach: Give a distance of about 5 cm from the navel or place the scar.
Thighs: Inject 10 cm above the knee or at least 10 cm below the groin area. The best place in the legs to be given an injection of insulin is the upper and outer thighs.
Arm: fat tissue in the upper arm is the most appropriate area for injection.
Buttocks: Inject near the hips not near the buttocks.
The injection area should be 2.5cm from the previous injection area. Rotate in one area for one week, then move to another area. Avoid injecting near scar tissue or areas with varicose veins.
Massaging or exercising immediately after injection can accelerate absorption. If you plan to engage in heavy physical activity shortly after injecting insulin, do not inject insulin in the affected area while exercising.
