Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas to help properly regulate blood sugar. When the pancreas doesn’t produce and utilize enough insulin correctly, type 1 and type 2 diabetes may develop.
Insulin therapy—administered with syringes—is generally prescribed to manage type 1 and type 2 diabetes and regulate blood glucose and sugar levels. Without proper treatment, patients may experience dangerous diabetes complications, such as nerve, kidney, eye, and heart damage.
To help you identify the correct size and type of syringes, let’s look at what’s available, different sizes, how to select the best syringes and needles for your needs, and diabetes best practices to keep you healthy and safe.
Why Do Diabetes Patients Need Syringes?
People with diabetes must administer shots correctly and on a strict schedule, using pens, needles, syringes, pumps, and more. Doctors and family medicine administrators recommend dosages specific to each diabetes patient’s needs to ensure their levels are within a specific target range and the patient stays healthy and comfortable.
The most common methods utilize syringes and needles to administer dosages. Syringes allow patients to self-inject medication into fatty tissue, just beneath the skin.
Some patients report experiencing tissue damage and infections after administering shots. This is likely due to using the wrong type or insulin syringe size or incorrect use.
Identifying which insulin syringe to use is essential for safely administering shots, preventing pain and discomfort, and avoiding scar tissue buildup.
Which Syringes Are Best?
The best syringes for injections depend on the dosage your healthcare provider prescribes.
There are three main sizes of syringes, and the type of dosage you may need generally corresponds with the size. For example:
- 3/10 ml or 0.3 ml syringes to draw up to 30 units
- 1/2 ml or 0.5 ml syringes to draw up to 50 units
- 1.0 ml syringes to draw up to 100 units
Making sure you’re using the right size needles and insulin syringes are equally important. Needle size is measured by diameter and length. Doctors recommend patients use needles within the range of 4 millimeters to 6 millimeters. A needle length longer than 8 millimeters may pierce too deep and cause discomfort in the patients.
A good rule to remember: The thinner the needle, the more comfortable it generally is for patients.
Tips For Choosing The Right Syringe
When choosing the right insulin syringes, it’s essential to select ones that don’t cause discomfort or side effects. The wrong syringes can cause adverse health issues and life-threatening complications, like abnormal heartbeat, shortness of breath, infection, and more.
To prevent an imbalance in glucose levels and adverse issues, try the following tips when selecting insulin syringes:
- Make sure the needle size matches the type of medication you're using. For instance, some may be formulated for fast absorption and should be used with a thinner needle.
- Longer needles can be better for thicker-skinned individuals, as they are less likely to bend.
- Also, choose syringes that don't leak during use.
- Read reviews from respected diabetes supply distributors and sources before purchasing your syringes. Your chances of finding higher-quality syringes increase when you shop with a reputable manufacturer. If you carefully consider the above tips when selecting insulin syringes, you'll be well on your way to finding sizes and types for your personal needs.
Is a Longer Needle Size Better than a Shorter Size?
The effectiveness of your dosage depends on two key issues:
The way you inject your medication.
The size of the needles or syringes you use.
Proper absorption occurs when your medication is delivered directly into the fat layer beneath the skin.
Most healthcare professionals recommend a 4mm needle because it works well on most body types and produces a reliable reaction. However, longer needles may lead to accidental muscle injections, are less reliable, and can be painful.
Common Injection Sites
Patients can inject insulin syringes into their upper-outer arms, abdomen, buttocks, and upper-outer thighs. Healthcare providers recommend injecting insulin syringes into the abdomen for fast results and optimum health benefits. Keep the following considerations in mind before administering a shot.
- Do not inject insulin syringes within 2 inches of the belly button.
- Use different injection sites every time to prevent lumps and swelling.
How Can You Prepare an Accurate Dose of Insulin?
To give a subcutaneous injection, wash or sanitize your hands before each dosage to prevent infection at the injection site or other health issues.
After properly sanitizing yourself, follow our step-by-step guide to prepare and administer an accurate dose.
Gather your supplies.
Collect your syringes, vials, and alcohol swabs. Gently stir the vial and remove the cap from your syringe or needle.
Draw air into your syringe.
Hold the syringe and insert the needle into the vial's stopper (at the top of the container). Pull the plunger back until the stopper reaches the desired insulin dosage on the barrel.
Check for air bubbles.
If you see any air bubbles, pull the plunger back until the air purges out. Then, try to pull the plunger back to the desired dosage to ensure you have the right amount of medication.
Inject your insulin into the injection site.
Push the needle at a 90-degree angle into the injection site until the insulin is fully delivered to the body. Hold the needle for five seconds to prevent leakage.
Safely dispose of used needles and syringes.
After use, clip the needle off with a clipper. Be sure to dispose of all your syringes in a safe disposal container (or “sharps” container). It is important to note that improper disposal is dangerous not just for you, but your family, pets, garbage workers, and more.
How Can You Mix a Dose of Insulin in the Syringe?
People with diabetes and related health issues sometimes require mixing intermediate-acting and rapid-acting insulin for better health and blood sugar management. But, not all types of insulin are safe for mixing. Here is how to safely mix a dose of insulin before administering your dosage:
First, draw your rapid-acting insulin.
Hold the vial and syringe upside down. Keep the needle below the vial surface and pull the plunger slowly to get the right amount of rapid-acting insulin into the syringe.
Then, draw your intermediate-acting insulin.
Roll the vial of the intermediate-acting insulin to mix it evenly. Then, insert the needle into the vial rubber cap and turn it upside down to withdraw the right dosage.
Finally, clean the injection site.
Clean the injection site with an alcohol swab to thoroughly clean the spot. After you've administered your injection, be sure to keep your blood sugar levels steady throughout the day.
Do Insulin Injections Hurt?
Modern medicine and technology have made administering shots and injections as painless as possible. Additionally, medical professionals can design smaller, more effective needle sizes and no longer support the use of needle sizes more than 8mm size.
Best health practices usually recommend the use of a 4mm size needle because it requires less penetration force and injects insulin smoothly. This size also supports stable insulin absorption and greater injection comfort for the patient.
What Health Impacts Occur When You Inject Insulin Incorrectly?
If insulin isn’t injected correctly or the wrong dose is given, the result can be dangerous and result in hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia.
Other symptoms that may result from an incorrectly administered insulin shot include:
- Redness at the injection site
- Skin thickening and scarring
- Itching and discomfort
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Abnormal heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Weakness
- Increases body fat
- Constipation
Why Do You Get Bruises at Injection Sites?
During insulin infusion, sometimes syringes or needles may hit capillaries and causes blooding, forming bruises at the injection site. These bruises are usually harmless and go away within a few days. If this happens, try another injection site until the bruised area heals completely.
What Should You Do If You See Blood During an Insulin Infusion?
Noticing blood in your syringes means you may have hit a blood vessel during an insulin infusion. As soon as you see blood in the bottom of the syringe, be sure to:
- Remove the needle from the syringe.
- Dispose of the needle.
- Use a new needle to administer your shot.
How Do You Safely Administer an Insulin Shot?
To maintain a safe and effective diabetes healthcare routine, you must know how to administer your medicine and manage your glucose levels. Be sure to follow these important steps:
- Check the expiry date of the insulin before using it, so the correct insulin is administered to the patient.
- Let the vial of insulin come to room temperature, before you inject it.
- Never inject diabetes insulin close to the belly button and bony areas.
- Do not rub the injection site after insulin infusion.
- Rotate injection sites daily.
- Inject the needle at a 90-degree angle to the skin.
- Never change the direction of the needle in the injection site.
- Tense muscles make the injection site nerves sensitive. Make sure to relax the muscles of the injection site.
- Use the thinnest needles as it causes the least skin trauma.
- Before injecting, lift the skin into a fold with your thumb and index finger. It prevents the direct delivery of insulin into your muscle.
Can You Buy Over-the-Counter Syringes?
The insulin is available to patients with a doctor’s prescription. Patients can also buy disposable syringes and needles at most pharmacies and online stores. Some countries even support the over-the-counter sales of syringes and needles to prevent blood-borne disease transmission.
Is It Safe to Reuse Insulin Syringes?
Syringes are sterile products designed for one-time only usage. Reusing diabetes syringes is unsafe and may lead to infection and a buildup of scar tissues that may interfere with insulin absorption.
Healthcare providers never recommend diabetes patients reuse their syringes. They also recommend patients who have open wounds and infections take extra care when administering shots. For safe needle use, be sure to:
- Do not reuse needles.
- Recap the needle after every usage.
- Don’t share syringes with others.
- Don’t let your syringes or needles touch anything other than the skin.
- If the needle bends, discard both the syringe and needle.
Where Can You Dispose of Unused, Expired, or Used Syringes?
Diabetes medical supplies—including syringes, needles, and injections—require safe disposal to prevent city workers, garbage collectors, housekeepers, children, your family, and pets from getting pricked.
To avoid potential injury or being pricked, dispose of used syringes and used needles in an opaque container with a tight, screw-top lid. If you can, add an appropriate label and dispose of it safely in an approved disposal site.
If you are a diabetes patient, ask your doctor or local pharmacy if they have a safe syringe and needle collection site. Most can help point you to the best location for safe drop-off or share more in-depth, step-by-step instructions for safe disposal.
In Conclusion
Getting the right type of syringe, with precise needle size, influences the effectiveness of their shots and their comfort and safety. Be sure you’re selecting the correct-sized syringe to match the volume of the insulin you inject—and use a fresh needle every time you give a shot.
Remember, reusing the same syringe and needle increases the risk of infection. And be sure to dispose of syringes in a safe storage container immediately after use.
Don't hesitate to speak with your healthcare provider, if you have questions about your health, diabetes treatment, or how to find the best syringe and needle for your insulin infusion. Your doctor or healthcare provider can help you find the right syringe and needle size to match your prescribed diabetes mediation or insulin dose.
Copyright MedOnTheGo.com. All Rights Reserved. eCommerce Software by 3dcart.