Are Your Insulin Injections Stinging?

Do you do multiple daily injections of insulin to cover your food? That sort of seems like a trick question, because we all do that or did that at one point in our diabetic careers. I know I used to. I did it for nine months before getting my Omnipod insulin pump. It's not something we can stop doing whenever we feel like it because it would have fatal consequences. I think we can all agree that it sucks supremely. But is there something we can do to make it a little less... I don't know... stingy? 

One thing that I remember from my nine months of MDI (multiple daily injections) is what the needles felt like to me. Everyone is different, but for me the needles stung for roughly seven seconds and then I was fine. There are plenty of reasons that injections can sting, and there are plenty of ways that you can help prevent it.

1. Try to Use Injection Sites With More Fat

When you inject insulin into your body, it's supposed to be absorbed by the tissue in the injection site. If it goes deeper than that, say into your muscle, then it stings. You can help prevent that by trying to inject into areas of your body that have more fat. For me that's my stomach and the backs of my arms. The more fat you have in the area you choose to inject into, the less your injection will sting.

2. Try Using Shorter Needle Tips

Needle tips come in lots of different sizes. Consider trying a smaller size. 4mm instead of 8mm will make all the difference. Why? Because the longer your needles are, the deeper they go in, the more your injection will sting.

3. Pinch an Inch

When you go to give yourself your needle, use one hand to do the actual injection, and use the other to pinch up the skin in about a one centimeter radius around where the needle will be going in. This helps the needle stay away from the muscle.

4. Try Not to Use Cold Insulin

Insulin that has just come out of the fridge tends to sting more than room temperature insulin, so try to avoid using cold insulin for injections if you can. If you absolutely have to use it then this is what I would suggest; rub the vial vigorously between your fingers. The friction will warm it up!

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