Diabetes and Insulin Injections!!

Diabetes is a disease in which body either does not produce insulin or does not respond to insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by special pancreatic cells known as Beta cells. When we consume food, insulin is released into the bloodstream where it absorbs glucose from the food and converts it into energy. It also helps in the storage of excess glucose in the liver.

Diabetic patients with uncontrolled blood sugar levels are mainly advised to take insulin injections. Furthermore when diabetes medications along with healthy eating and regular physical activities are not enough to control the blood sugar level, then insulin is needed. These injections are required when the body doesn’t produce insulin i.e. in case of Type 1 Diabetes. However sometime people with Type 2 diabetes may also need insulin.

Insulin is given with the help of injections because it can’t be given in tablet form. However nasal insulin sprays are also gaining popularity now a days. Insulin is mainly classified into five categories depending on the fact that how long it works in the body-

• Rapid onset-fast acting insulin
• Short acting insulin
• Intermediate acting insulin
• Mixed insulin
• Long acting insulin.

Devices to Inject Insulin:-

Insulin can be injected by different devices like-
• Insulin syringes
• Insulin pumps
• Insulin delivery pens

Where to Inject Insulin using insulin injections?

Normally insulin is given through the skin into the fatty tissue known as the subcutaneous layer. Insulin injecting sites are abdomen, thighs, upper arms, and buttocks. The abdomen area absorbs insulin the fastest. You can use slightly different spot within one site.

Furthermore there are certain factors that either speed up or decreases insulin absorption i.e.

Factors increasing insulin absorption-

• High temperature like shower, hot water bottle, bath, spa and sauna
• Massaging the region around the injection site
• Injecting insulin into muscle or exercised area like thigh

Factors decreasing insulin absorption-

• Smoking
• Cold insulin
• Repeatedly injecting insulin on the same site which will make your flesh hard, lumpy and scarred resulting in erratic absorption of insulin

How to store Insulin?

You can store insulin safely by following given below methods-

• Store pen cartridges, unopened insulin bottles in the fridge
• Make sure that insulin may not get freeze
• Opened insulin bottles should be kept at room temperature for not more than one month
• You can carry insulin in your handbag or pocket
• Insulin should not be kept at a temperature more than 30C as extreme temperature may damage insulin
• Avoid keeping insulin in direct sunlight