Where can inject insulin

Place the needle above this line but below the waist, about halfway between the spine and the side. As with the upper arm, this site is very difficult to use for self-injection and may require another person for administration. When injecting into the buttocks, avoid the lower part. The body absorbs insulin at different speeds from each of the sites. This information can be useful when planning insulin injections:. Inject long-acting and intermediate-acting insulin into the other sites, as rapid absorption would reduce the effectiveness of these types.

Insulin works more efficiently over the entire time it needs to because of the slower absorption rate. Exercise can increase the absorption rate of insulin.

If planning a workout or physical activity, account for these when planning injections. For example, a baseball pitcher should avoid injecting into their throwing arm. The physical activity can affect the absorption of insulin into the body. Wait to for at least 45 minutes after the injection to exercise a part of the body that is near the injection site. Avoid injecting into the same site over and over. This can irritate the skin and underlying fatty tissue.

If this happens, it may increase discomfort and cause other complications. Puncturing the same point every time can lead to hard lumps or fatty deposits developing. When rotating injections, move around within the area to ensure that the injection does not always take place in exactly the same spot. For example, when taking a night time dose of long-acting insulin, a person might always feel more comfortable injecting it into the thigh.

However, they should switch between the right and left thigh each night. If a person always administers a morning dose of rapid-acting insulin into their abdomen, they should alternate between different areas of the abdomen to avoid repeated injections into the same site.

When injecting insulin, you need to move injection sites so your skin doesn't get lumpy. Lumpy skin is a build-up of fat under your skin caused by injecting into the same site. Lumpy skin can affect how your body absorbs insulin and can lead to different blood glucose levels. Also do not inject insulin on any damaged or scarred skin because this can affect the way insulin is absorbed. Different injection sites have different absorption rates. You might start off with one tool, like an insulin pen, and then advance to another, such as an insulin pump.

As your lifestyle and health changes over time, you may find that one tool works better than another to meet your insulin injection needs. If you are new to insulin, you may need to experiment with different options to find the insulin injection device that works best for you. When learning how to take insulin, you will be taught which areas of the body are appropriate sites to give an insulin injection, and the importance of rotating these sites.

You should be able to pinch a fold of skin at the insulin injection site, and take care that you are not injecting insulin into the muscle. When planning on injecting into the abdomen, place your hand across the top of your belly button, and do not inject within approximately the width of two fingers 2 inches around the belly button. Choose an area on the back of the arm that has the fattiest tissue. You may need someone to assist you if you are not able to reach the back of your arm to do an insulin injection in this site.

When selecting an insulin injection site on the front and sides of the thighs, avoid getting too close to the bony area near the knee. Choose an area on your lower back, just above your hips. The upper portion of the buttocks can also be used, but this area may be a little more challenging to reach on your own. It is also typically the slowest to absorb insulin. Lipohypertrophy looks like lumps under the skin.

Insulin injection sites affected by lipohypertrophy do not absorb insulin well, resulting in lower insulin exposure and a higher blood sugar level after injection. Although you may have favorite areas where you like to inject your insulin or wear your insulin pump infusion set, you will need to rotate sites on a regular basis.

The ADA recommends injecting mealtime insulin in the same area of the body for each meal. For example: you could try using your abdomen for breakfast and your thigh for lunch, while alternating to a new spot within each of these sites, each day. Using a different spot within the same area of your body for each meal time can lead to consistency in your blood sugar patterns while preventing fat or scar tissue to accumulate in a specific spot. Each box of pen needles includes four different colors of needles to remind users to inject into the area that corresponds to the needle color they are using, making site rotation easier.

The product is available in Canada, but not yet available in the U. When your healthcare provider or diabetes educator teaches you how to give yourself an insulin injection, they may have you give yourself an injection in order to observe your technique and provide support. If your healthcare provider has given you individualized instructions, always follow them.

Before you begin, wash your hands and gather supplies, including your insulin vial or pen, a new pen needle or syringe, an alcohol swab, sharps container, and a magnifier if needed.

A note about mixing insulin: Some people mix two types of insulin in one syringe. Mixing insulin in a syringe requires specific steps, and you will want to meet with your healthcare provider or diabetes educator to ensure that that you are accurate in dosing your insulin. Ask your pharmacist about the storage guidelines for the type of insulin vial or pen you are prescribed. In general, unopened insulin pens can be stored in the refrigerator and once you open and use a pen, you can keep it at room temperature for two weeks to a month based on insulin type.

Store unused insulin vials in the refrigerator. Insulin vials in use can be stored at room temperature for 28 days. Again, check with your pharmacist since storage guidelines vary based on type of insulin.

Dispose of used pen or syringe needles safely so that no one gets an unwanted stick. Pick up a sharps container at the pharmacy, or make your own with a sturdy detergent container or similar plastic jug. For more information on sharps disposal follow these guidelines from the FDA. Insulin injection side effects are not common. However, some people may have allergies to certain types of insulin, the type of rubber in the insulin vial stopper, or to other preservatives and coatings involved when injecting insulin.

If you notice redness and itching or related problems at your injection sites, contact your healthcare provider right away. You may need to switch to another type of insulin or alternate insulin injection technique.

There is also a small risk of infection at an injection site, so take proper care to disinfect the injection site before your injection, and always use a new pen needle or syringe when injecting insulin. Since insulin is a glucose-lowering medication, you should always be prepared in the event you need to treat a low blood sugar hypoglycemia by carrying a rapid acting source of glucose with you, like a juice box, glucose tabs, or hard candy.

Some people record the dose in a paper logbook along with their blood sugar reading. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.

It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Main Content. Important Phone Numbers. Top of the page. There are several areas of the body where insulin may be injected: The belly, at least 5 cm 2 in.