How to inject insulin (step by step) and where to apply it

Insulin can be applied through a syringe or a preloaded insulin plume, injecting it into the fatty layer that is located under the skin, where it will be slowly absorbed, mimicking the production of this substance by the pancreas.

Insulin can be applied on the abdomen, on the inside of the muscle, on the back of the arm or on the buttocks, and should be applied before main meals.

In addition to these options, insulin can also be introduced into the body by means of an insulin pump, which is a small, portable electronic device that releases insulin for 24 hours in a very precise dose according to the person’s needs.

The steps you must follow to inject insulin will depend on you whether you apply it with a jingle or with a feather:

1. Apply insulin with jeringa

There are several sizes of insulin jars, whose capacities can vary between 0.3 to 2 ml, depending on the range of insulin units that the person needs.

Generally, each ml can be divided into 100 units, but there are insulins that have 500 units in each ml; for this reason, the calculation of the necessary units must always be explained by the doctor to confirm the type of insulin and blood glucose values. Once the value to be entered is separated, you must:

1. wash your hands to avoid filling the insulin vial or transporting bacteria to the jar;
2. Place a sterile needle in a jar also sterile insulin;
3. Disinfect the gum from the insulin bottle with a piece of cotton moistened with alcohol;
4. Insert the bottle of the jeringa into the gum of the insulin bottle and turn the bottle over so that the needle is submerged in the liquid and in the aspire air;
5. Halar the piston of the jeringa until it is filled with the correct number of units. Normally, the jar is divided with several brands, each one represents 1 unit, and you can pose up to 10 units to facilitate the task;
6. Remove the aguja and the jeringa, returning to cover the bottle, to be possible;
7. To make a fold in the skin, pellizcándola with the index finger and the pulgar;
8. Completely insert the needle in the fold in an angle of 45º to 90º and with a fast and firm movement;
9. Push the piston of the jeringa until all the content is released;
10. Wait around 10 seconds and remove the needle from the skinreleasing the fold after removing the needle.

When you need to mix 2 types of insulin in the same jar, you should put the fast-acting insulin in the jar and then add the slow-acting insulin, without changing the water. Normally, fast insulin is transparent and slow insulin is white, similar to milk. Both insulins must be mixed separately before aspirating them with the jar, it is recommended to rotate the vials between hands instead of shaking them.

After the application, the aguja and the jeringa must be left in the basement or kept in a suitable container for delivery to the pharmacy and they are recycled. Whenever possible, the aguja must protect itself with the tapa. No one needs to use it as an injection, it can increase the risk of infection or reduce the action of the medication.

2. Apply insulin with plume

The feather is a more practical option in comparison with the jeringa, however, it is more expensive; for this reason, it may not be used in all cases. To correctly apply insulin using a ballpoint pen, it is necessary:

1. Wash your hands and clean the injection site; if this is so, it can be cleaned with a gas with alcohol;
2. Have all the necessary material at hand, which includes the ballpoint pen prepared with the insulin cartridge and the aguja, and the gas;
3. Prepare the amount of insulin to be applied, rotating the ballot box and observing the number in the window of dosis. For example, if the doctor indicated that 4 units should be taken on the scene, the ballot should be rotated until the number 4 appears.
4. To make a fold in the skin, pellizcándola with the index finger and pulgar, mainly, in the abdomen and the muslo;
5. Insert the needle between 45º to 90º with a fast and firm movement. As the aguja is very small and only inserted in the skin, it causes the sensation of a mosquito bite and in the duel. In addition, even though more body fat poses the person, the angle must be greater (90º);
6. Push the plunger or the button until the bottom to inject insulin;
7. Wait until 10 seconds before removing the needle from the skin so that the liquid completely enters the body;
8. Loosen the fold of the skin.

Normally, the application of insulin does not cause pain or changes in the skin; however, immediately after the application of insulin, a small drop of blood can come out, which should not generate concern and can be cleaned with a gas.

Where to apply insulin

Insulin can be applied in the region of the abdomen, on the inside of the muscle, on the back of the arm and on the buttocksand normally, before eating breakfast, lunch or dinner.

The application on the abdomen and the muslo allows you to peel the skin and perform a skin fold; however, in el brazo, the application can be carried out without folding when it is placed by the person himself, pues el movimiento is more complicated.

Each time the application is carried out, it must always be in different places to avoid the accumulation of grease and the flaccid skin in the zone returning, a condition known as lipodystrophy.

How to prepare the insulin plume

There are insulin calipers that are disposable, which means that after finishing the amount of medication that is inside, it must be disposed of. For this reason, it is not necessary to prepare, it is only necessary to turn the ballot button until the desired amount of insulin is reached.

However, most bolígrafos need to prepare as soon as they finish an insulin cartridge, they can be used for several years. In this way, it is necessary:

1. Disarm the Boligrapher, turning it;
2. Remove the empty insulin deposit and insert a new vial inside;
3. Unite the two parts of the boligrafo;
4. Insert a needle in the extreme of the boligrafo;
5. test the functioning, coming if you sell a small drop of insulin, and remove all the air bubbles that may be inside the bottle.

After the stylus is armed, the patient can use it until the product runs out; However, it is advisable to change the needle daily so as not to injure the skin or cause infections.