Insulin is a natural hormone produced in the pancreas that helps the body use sugar for energy production. It allows the regulation of the sugar level in the blood. When the pancreas is not working properly, insulin may not be produced or problems may occur in its release into the blood. Diabetes is a disease that occurs when insulin is low or the body cannot use insulin properly.
What is Insulin and Who is it Recommended for?
Glucose is one of the main resources the body uses for energy. The body transports glucose through blood. Insulin is required for glucose in the blood to enter the cells and be used. Insulin carries glucose from the blood into cells. If this process cannot be done for various reasons, glucose accumulates in the blood (hyperglycemia) and causes problems. The body’s ability to produce and secrete insulin may be interrupted or impaired for different reasons:
- pregnancy ,
- insulin resistance ,
- Type I Diabetes ,
- Type II Diabetes
- Metabolic Syndrome can be given as an example of these conditions.
Insulin injections are not used in any case where insulin production, release or use is impaired. Insulin injection is suitable for people with type I diabetes. In some cases, it can also be prescribed to patients with type II diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, there are problems with the production of insulin. Since the body does not produce insulin, it must be administered externally. Since there is no production of this hormone in the body, it is a lifelong treatment. Since insulin can be produced in people with type II diabetes, treatment with insulin injections is not preferred.
How to Give Insulin Injection?
Insulin; It is available in the forms of a liquid solution or a solution of suspension. It can be applied with three different tools:
• Insulin needle,
• Insulin pen and
• Insulin pump.
Insulin pens; It is an easy-to-use, dose-adjusted syringe-like tool. They are prescribed to patients suffering from eye problems due to their ease of use, and they also improve the quality of life of patients who need frequent insulin injections. For these reasons, they are used more frequently than insulin injections. But since it is very important for patients to be able to inject themselves in emergency situations, it may be good to know how to use an insulin needle.
The needle tips of pens and syringes are for personal use and should never be shared. Also, these are disposable.
These injections can be made in the abdomen, thigh, upper arm and hip, and the fastest absorption occurs in the abdominal area. Then respectively; They can be listed from fast to slow as upper arm, thigh and hip. Since the absorption rate varies, it is healthier to make injections from a single location. The most preferred injection sites by patients are the abdomen and legs. However, constantly injecting the same place may cause long-term problems. For this reason, rotation of injection sites is recommended. In other words, changing the injection site respectively ensures that the injections are made more safely. There are different rotation techniques used:
1. Same site technique at the same meal: In this technique, different injection sites are determined for the morning, noon, evening and night before sleeping, and insulin injections are given in this order.
2. Weekly site rotation: If one or two doses of insulin are used per day, changing the sites weekly is also a healthy rotation method.
3. Pinch technique: This is the method in which the injection area is pinched between the thumb and index finger and the needle is made by pulling up. However, it can be considered risky due to the risk of penetrating the muscle tissue with long-tipped needles and the fact that this method is not necessary for short-tipped needles.
Insulin pumps are small computerized devices that slowly and continuously deliver insulin into the subcutaneous tissue. Since adjusting the dose of an insulin pump involves so many variables, the user must pay attention to his diet and learn the calculations of how much insulin he will need. In addition, since the healthcare team will check the insulin pump, they work as a team with the patient. Insulin pump is a treatment with a high success rate when used correctly. The absence of constant injections also increases the patient’s morale and participation in treatment.
If you have questions about insulin use, you may consider contacting your nearest healthcare provider.
Things to Consider When Giving Insulin Injection
There are many different forms of injectable insulin. After finding the appropriate insulin and dosage with your specialist physician, it is very important to follow the instructions given to you about applying the treatment. Some types of insulin work quickly, while other types of insulin take one to two days to work. Therefore, your insulin injection frequency may vary. Knowing which type of insulin you use will help you with this.
- Rapid-acting insulin: Starts working in 5 to 20 minutes and lasts 3 to 5 hours. It reaches its peak effect two hours after injection. For this reason, it should be taken before a meal.
- Regular insulin (short-acting insulin): Begins to work 30 to 45 minutes after injection. It reaches its highest level after 2 to 4 hours and its effect lasts for 5 to 8 hours.
- Intermediate-acting insulin: It begins to show its effect 2 hours after the injection and reaches the highest level at the 12th hour. It loses its effect within 14 to 24 hours.
- Long-acting insulin: The speed of this insulin mixing into the blood is 1 hour. It peaks in 3 to 14 hours and its effect can last up to a day.
- Ultra long-acting insulin: It begins to show its effect within 6 hours after injection. There is no time period when it peaks, it has the same effect within a few hours and continues its effect for up to two days.
You can discuss your questions about the insulin you use with our physician and adjust your treatment to best suit your life.
Other Things to Know About Insulin Therapy
As with every treatment, there are possible side effects in insulin treatment. Knowing these side effects is important for the treatment process and the general health of the patient. These can be listed as follows:
- Swelling, redness, palpable hardness or itching at the injection site,
- Hypoglycemia (blood sugar being lower than normal),
- Weight gain.
These are the expected side effects caused by injection and/or insulin. An unexpected side effect may indicate a serious problem or allergy. If you think you are experiencing an unexpected side effect, you may consider contacting the nearest healthcare facility.
FAQ: What is Insulin Resistance and How is It Treated?
Insulin resistance ; muscle, fat tissue and liver cells do not respond to insulin and therefore the glucose level in the blood is high. It prepares the ground for diabetes. Living an active life, losing weight through regular exercise and a healthy diet can reduce the body’s insulin resistance.
Is Insulin Injection Painful?
Although insulin injections seem to hurt, people who have regular insulin injections state that it hurts more than measuring blood sugar from a fingertip.
How Should We Store Insulin Needle?
Unopened insulins can be stored in the refrigerator at 2 to 8 degrees until the expiration date stated on the package. If the refrigerator door is not between these temperatures, it should not be used and insulin packages should be avoided from being placed close to the freezer. In addition, it should be kept away from sunlight and heat sources and the packages should not be shaken.
What are the harms of insulin injection?
Insulin, when used incorrectly, can cause overdose and cause hypoglycemia (lower than normal blood sugar).
How to Give an Insulin Shot?
Following the instructions of your specialist physician or healthcare professionals responsible for your insulin injection will provide better results.
