Welcome to Part 2!
The first part of the series focused on lipohypertrophy. In this second installment, we will be taking a look at needles.
Don’t be Stingy with the Needles
Test strips, insulin, and needles aren’t cheap, and I can understand why it would pain someone to throw them away after using it once. But if heath care professionals are adamant about using a fresh needle every single time, you can be confident that they have their reasons.
Here are six reasons why needles should never be reused:
- Loss of silicone lubrication and sterility
- Injections may be more painful
- Increased risk of infection and needle breakage
- Inaccurate insulin dosage due to the entrance of air inside the insulin reservoir
- Multiple usages cause needles to bend and to inflict injuries to the skin (e.g. bleeding, bruising)
- Higher risk of lipohypertrophy
Don’t be Lazy with the Injections
Another sin that a good number of people with diabetes commit is injecting insulin through clothing. According to a 2008-2009 international survey conducted in 16 countries, nearly 15% of the people with diabetes admitted being guilty of this malpractice. They often do so when they are tight on time or experience a wardrobe hindrance. Much like why reusing needles is a terrible idea, injection through clothing increases the risk of infection due to the unsterilized clothing, causes the loss of lubrication, and may result in a skin rash.
Moral of the story: Safely discard your needles and follow the proper technique for insulin injection to avoid any complications. Otherwise, you might have to cough up the money you saved from reusing your needles and pay the price for being lazy.
