Injecting correctly. The best technique.

Now let’s talk about:

• How to inject correctly
• The best places to inject around your body

• When to inject throughout the day

Injecting correctly

Your body is covered with skin. Underneath there’s a layer of fat. Below that is a layer of muscle. 

To work properly, your insulin needs to be injected into the fat layer just under the skin.

Your nurse might have asked you to inject using a skin fold, if so, here’s a reminder how.

1. Take a fold of skin between your thumb, index (pointing) finger and middle finger. Only lift the skin – NOT the muscle below it.

 

2. With your pen prepared for the injection, push the needle all the way into the skin fold. Proceed with your injection.

 

3. You must keep a grip on the skin fold all the way through injecting. Only let go of the skin when removing the needle.

 

 

The best sites, the best time

Places you can inject.

There are four areas on your body that are generally used for injecting: the side of your legs (thighs), tummy area (abdomen), bottom area (buttocks) and arms.

Your nurse will talk through the sites that are best for you.

For your insulin to work properly, it is important to always inject in the same area at the same time of day – your nurse will explain how it works.

It is just as important that you change sides – e.g. left thigh one day, right thigh the next.

The four best sites to inject: tummy, thighs...

 

 

 

 

 

...bottom and arms.

 

 

 

 

 

Important stuff 1: Always ROTATE between sites. Follow a pattern.

DON’T make injections in exactly the same place each time.

When it’s time to use an area to inject again, choose a different spot within it. [insert pic]

Aim to move on a finger’s width from the last injection you did there. If you don’t, the area may get hard and lumpy and then the insulin won’t work properly there either. We’ll talk more about this later.

There are cards that you can use to remind you where to inject next.

If you inject in the same place and/or use the same needle more than once, the area may start to get irritated. It can become red, sore and form lumps.

This is called lipohypertrophy – ‘lipos’ for short.  Insulin injected into a lipo may not work properly, affecting your blood sugar levels.

To avoid lipos:

• Always rotate your injection sites
• Always use a new needle for each injection

A fresh new needle every time!

Every time you make an injection, you MUST use a fresh needle. DON’T leave the old one attached on your pen device to use it again. Take it off and dispose of it properly.

When it comes to needles, sharp thinking makes sense. Here’s why…

Re-using needles is a really bad idea because...

…blunt needles hurt!

A new needle is sharp and enters your skin easily. But if you use it more than once, the end becomes blunt. Your injections will hurt.

…insulin can leak. Air can get in.

Leaving a needle attached to your insulin pen between injections can stop you getting the correct insulin dose or mixture.

…needles can clog between injections.

Insulin can form crystals in the needle. It may get blocked.

…blunt needles may cause lipos.

If the tip of the needle isn’t nice and sharp, there’s an increased risk of hard lumps (lipos) forming where you inject.

…new needles are squeaky clean.

Each time a new needle is opened it’s sterile. That means there are no germs present when you use it.

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The information in this section has kindly been provided by BD Medical. You may want to get a copy of this booklet to keep and refer to from time to time. Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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