Avoiding Injection Site Problems with Type 1 Diabetes

The bodies of those who suffer from type 1 diabetes cannot make insulin on their own. For this reason, patients are subject to multiple injections of insulin each day. Because injections can be more or less comfortable to take, depending upon where in the body they are placed, it is not uncommon for patients to utilize the same areas of the body over and over for injections.

The risks of over-utilizing certain areas of the body include developing abnormal accumulations of fat beneath the skin. As the fat accumulates the skin will become visibly lumpy and injection will become more difficult.

Techniques for Effective Insulin Injection

Insulin is accepted into the body at faster or slower rates, depending upon where the injection is located. An insulin injection is subcutaneous, which is to say that the insulin is injected beneath the skin using a small needle.


There are techniques to injection that prevent insulin from being injected into the muscle, where it will work too quickly, or into the skin, a painful injection that will not be processed by the body. These involve injecting at an angle, with the angle depending upon body type.

Where in the body insulin is injected is important as well. Injections into the abdomen are absorbed most quickly, with the upper arms next. Injections to the thighs and then to the buttocks are absorbed more slowly.

Injections for the same time frame each day should be given in the same body region. For instance, morning insulin given in the abdomen one day should be given in a different part of the abdomen each day.

Injection sites should be continuously rotated. An injection in the right upper arm can be alternated with the left upper arm. Injections to the abdomen should rotate among different quadrants.


Skin checks should occur regularly, looking for hardened areas of the skin. Injections to these spots should cease until the tissue beneath the skin begins to soften again.

Lipohypertrophy

Lipohypertrophy is a complication that develops when repeated injections to the same injection site cause fat and scar tissue to form. The appearance can be single or multiple hard lumps visible through the skin. With time, and avoiding injections to these areas, these lumps should disappear. If they don’t resolve, consult with your physician.

Injections made through these areas may result in slowed absorption, interfering with optimal blood glucose management.

Lipohypertrophy is more common with treatment of type 1 diabetes than with type 2.

Sources: Healthline.com, UpToDate.com
Photo: Pixabay


More Articles

With its slightly nutty flavor, chewy texture, and nutritional punch farro is an ancient whole grain worth a place in our pantry.

Farro...

Having diabetes is cause for concern, however it doesn’t mean that you need to eliminate all of your favorite foods from your diet completely....

With diabetes becoming more of an epidemic each and every day, being knowledgeable about the disease, its effects on the body as well as ways to...

If you’re a diabetic or live with one, it can be tough trying to figure out the best foods to eat because your priority is to control your blood...

In this post, I will show you the 10 best ice creams for diabetics.

When you think of sweetened foods that a diabetic shouldn’t consume,...

More Articles

If you’re living with diabetes, snacking is a necessity because going for more than 3-4 hours without eating can be detrimental to your health....

For diabetics, choosing healthy snacks can be a daunting task.

A good rule of thumb is to pick out snacks that are rich in protein, fiber,...

According to information available through the National Institutes of Health, there’s an estimated 462 million people in the world who are...

Eleven Clinical Studies

After eleven clinical studies and 300,000 participants, researcher Vasanti Malik and her team of researchers...

Diabetic women often have a harder time losing weight than non-diabetic women. A study funded by Jenny Craig proved that diabetic women have an...

Many recent studies have proved that magnesium levels are lower in patients with diabetes than in non-diabetics. This magnesium...

Fluid retention, also known as edema, is a problem that affects many diabetics, especially those with type 2 diabetes...

Some of us might be thrilled if we could manage our blood sugar by sitting in a hot tub or sauna, instead of working up a sweat biking, or using...

Cooking and baking with the ancient cereal grain sorghum has health benefits for people with diabetes, and those with weight control issues....

When it comes to certain foods, there are always questions as to whether or not a diabetic can have them without...

Matcha tea is a rich, creamy, full-bodied beverage with amazing nutritional properties that address several diabetes health concerns.

The...

Salads are good example of foods that type 2 diabetics can enjoy with relatively low guilt. With the right greens and other elements added, salad...

Remaining gainfully employed is important to many people. Those who live with any form of diabetes may find that some lines of work are more...

Learning that you have diabetes does mean making some lifestyle changes. One of the areas that needs attention is your diet. Most people find that...

One of the more challenging aspects of life as a type 2 diabetic is managing your diet. There’s often the temptation to avoid certain foods...