How to Choose the Right Insulin Pen Needles for Diabetes Management

Ashok’s love-hate relationship with insulin needles is never-ending. While they temporarily curb his blood sugar levels, dealing with the daily doses of needle pricks gets frustrating. Imagine enduring this pain every day, sometimes even twice a day, for the past 11 years. Ashok’s doctors say he may have to be dependent on this for life!

Diabetics often use insulin syringes regularly. If you or a close one relies on insulin pens daily, the stinging pain that accompanies each jab is something you definitely want to avoid.

It’s a tiny zap that’s routine yet manages to catch you off-guard. The never-ending quest of navigating a perfect injection site is a different struggle altogether. What if we say that there is a chance you could get rid of these tummy-pricks for good?

If you are an insulin pen user or have been advised to purchase one, remember to focus on the needles attached to the pen head. A correct needle avoids discomfort, bruises, and needle site complications.

Considered integral to diabetes management, injectable insulin is commonly prescribed for type 1 diabetes and uncontrolled type 2 diabetes cases. They are often preferred over conventional syringes due to their compact design, combining the insulin and the delivery syringe in one device.

However, before delving deeper into insulin pens, understanding the critical role of insulin in diabetes management allows for a potential shift in perspective, urging a more holistic approach beyond symptom management.

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreatic gland in our body; it actively regulates sugar levels in the blood. While Type 1 diabetics need an external dose of the hormone (due to the autoimmune deficiency of insulin), insulin levels are normal in Type 2 diabetics.

Except in cases of 6-9% Type 2 or Type 1.5 diabetes (adult latent autoimmune diabetes or LADA) where a temporary, reduced dose of insulin is needed until their pancreas can produce insulin on its own again.

The traditional diabetes approach heavily relies on blood sugar readings and medication, insulin pens for type 2 diabetes, etc. addressing only the symptoms, leading to prolonged drug dependency. What we need is a different perspective on diabetes control. To effectively manage or reverse diabetes, it’s crucial to grasp its underlying causes, some of which are insulin resistance, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, gut dysbiosis, stress, poor sleep and underlying infections.

At Wellfinity, our approach solves the root causes of diabetes to ensure permanent diabetes reversal. Our protocols go beyond the regular diet charts and lifestyle modifications. We adopt a hand-held approach that aims at sustained healing from diabetes when the conventional doesn’t change scenarios. With concepts such as epigenetics, integrative and functional medicine, at, Wellfinity, we offer a holistic and sustainable approach.

Understanding Insulin Pen Needles

Insulin pen needles are small disposable attachments to an insulin pen that are used to deliver injectable insulin into the body. Attached to the head, this whole assembly resembles a marker pen. These needles come in various lengths and thicknesses for personalized, comfortable, yet effective insulin delivery.

Insulin pens are recommended for people who require long-acting insulin or multiple daily doses of short-acting insulin. Pens are designed to deliver 0.5/1/2 unit increments. Pens typically last 28-32 days after being opened.

Benefits of Insulin Pens Over Conventional Insulin Syringes

• Insulin pens needn’t be loaded, which makes them more user-friendly. They are pre-filled, smaller, and portable, making them convenient to transport and use.
• Insulin pens are designed to deliver precise and consistent doses
• Insulin pen needles are smaller and finer than standard syringe needles. Hence it is a minute prick and almost no pain.

How To Use Insulin Pen?

Learning how to use insulin pen is pivotal to using it effectively. Here’s a quick walkthrough:

• First, screw the needle into the pen.
• The next step in learning how to use insulin pen is to dial the prescribed dose on the pen
• Do I need to prime my insulin pens every time? Quite rightly so. Read the manufacturer’s instructions and prime the needle before use to remove the trapped air and ensure the correct dosage.
• Next, clean the skin area with a swab of alcohol, insert the needle, inject, and wait for a few seconds before withdrawing.
• Wondering how often to change insulin pen needles? Well, preferably after every shot. This ensures a new, sharp needle for efficient pricking of the skin.

According to the ADA (American Diabetes Association), insulin pens for type 2 diabetes and Type 1 are growing in popularity. Many people with diabetes prefer them over traditional vial and syringe injections. Here’s why:

• Dosage precision and accuracy: studies have shown that people are more confident about their insulin doses when using an insulin pen. They vouch for their safety. Insulin pens read the dose scale far better than conventional syringes.
• They have a preloaded cartridge of insulin. This all-in-one design makes insulin pens convenient to use and easier to carry.
• Smaller and thinner needles that are less painful and user-friendly
• Smart insulin pens also exist that calculate appropriate insulin doses, record the previous doses (timings and amounts), and may also issue a report for the user to download.

All things considered, insulin pens are costly and require frequent pricks to manage diabetes. Breaking free from the traditional dependency on drugs, at Wellfinity, our approach to diabetes reversal stresses holistic solutions, making medicine-centric management outdated, right from day one.

Factors to Consider When Choosing Insulin Pen Needles

For a newly diagnosed person, having to inject yourself with insulin pens multiple times a day can be daunting. Thus, it is vital to consider certain factors when choosing insulin pen needles wisely.

Insulin Needle Length

In the case of the insulin injection needle size, longer is NOT better. The needle length today is a fraction of what it was in the past. These needles are required to deposit the insulin just beneath the skin into the fatty tissues for faster absorption; hence, a smaller needle works.

The needle lengths range from 4 mm to 12.7 mm in length. Given that human skin has a thickness of 2 mm, these insulin syringes needle sizes are efficient without causing any leakage. 4 mm needles work perfectly for those with a dose of less than 50 units; however, for more than 50 units, 6 mm needles are preferred.

Shorter needles are less painful than the longer versions; they penetrate less and do not prick the muscle layer. When using a 4 mm needle, the prick is perpendicular to the skin’s surface. If longer needles are required, they should be injected after pinching the skin or at a 45-degree angle to avoid the muscle layer. For doses more than 60 units, the insulin can be divided and administered at different places.

Insulin Needle Gauge

The needle gauge determines the thickness of the needle; the higher the number, the thinner the needle. The diameters of the diabetes pen needles vary from 29 G to 32 G. It is best if your physician guides you in understanding the right insulin needle gauge for your diabetes pen, depending on your insulin dose.

Personal Comfort and Ease of Use

Comfort is the cornerstone of a sustainable routine. It influences your willingness to strictly follow the diabetes management protocol. If the insulin delivery method is comfortable, aren’t you more likely to comply?

Some of the features of insulin pens that make them patient-friendly:

• The needle design makes them less painful
• Minimal injection site complications such as bleeding, swelling, lipodystrophy, infections, etc.
• Precision and accuracy of the insulin dose delivery
• Portability and ergonomics of the design

What is more comforting is having to do away with needles altogether.

Once you reverse your diabetes, you can effectively say goodbye to insulin pens as well. Yes, many are unaware that diabetes can be reversed. We want to highlight the importance of prevention from chronic diseases over lifelong drug dependency. Root cause analysis and minor changes to diet, nutrition, and lifestyle factors like exercise, stress, sleep, etc. can potentially offer you a chance to lead a diabetes-free life.

Compatibility with Insulin Pen

The compatibility of insulin pen needles refers to the ability of the needles to work with different pens efficiently. You must pick compatible needles to ensure correct insulin delivery without the risk of malfunctioning or incorrect dosing. Analyzing the manufacturer’s recommendations, insulin syringes needle sizes, and compatibility information will help you choose the correct needle for your pen, making you feel reassured while using it.

Needle Disposal

As a responsible user, you should be aware of how to dispose of insulin pen needles. Insulin pen needles come into contact with blood. As a result, accidental cross-pricks can potentially transmit any blood-borne diseases. In addition, if not disposed of safely, such medical sharps can cause prick injuries to the disposal workers and pollute the environment.

Disposal guidelines include carefully removing the needle from the pen and disposing it in a puncture-resistant container. In the case of the insulin pen, remember to securely wrap it in order before throwing it into the dry waste bin to prevent chances of inadvertent reuse.

Being able to control diabetes through holistic, natural, and sustainable functional medicine measures like diet and lifestyle remodeling can save you not only from the burden of such guidelines, but more importantly from diabetes altogether.

From choosing the right needles, and following the routine injection schedule, to safe disposal, such insulin dependencies can make diabetes management tougher than it is. Wellfinity, as your diabetes partner, can make life simpler by focusing on natural cure rather than the textbook protocols.

Consult Your Healthcare Provider

Conventional diabetes management with insulin is a loop of bi-monthly, and tri-monthly medicines, dosage adjustments, and blood sugar report analysis. The focus is so streamlined to fixing the evident symptoms that it overlooks diabetes as a ‘metabolic chronic disease’. Eventually, the disease does progress, and complications usually occur.

Managing the rising costs of insulin pens can get difficult. Especially in metro cities, where living expenses are high, an additional recurring burden of insulin pens is unwarranted. Adopting natural, healthy and sustainable ways of diabetes reversal can free you from this economic maze for good.

At Wellfinity, we want you to take a step back.

Our concept underscores the importance of “WHY”, the search for which begins with identifying the main causes of your diabetes.

We will actively analyze your cell and metabolic functions (mitochondrial activity, hydration status, etc.), gut microbiome, mineral balance, chances of heavy metal toxicity, and much more. Our approach is to make small, gradual changes in your nutritional status, exercise, daily lifestyle habits, and mental health to optimize organ functions and combat chronic diseases. In the process your dependency on insulin pens will dwindle, so will your monthly expenses on insulin gadgets.

Conclusion

Insulin pens have changed the game for diabetics who rely on regular insulin injections. They are small yet powerful, offering a precise insulin dosage that is well monitored.

As best practice, always prioritize the needle attachment of an insulin pen to ensure smooth, painless insulin delivery without post-injection complications. A shorter needle with a higher gauge is the ideal choice for your insulin insulin syringes needle sizes; however, consult with your physician to determine the needle that fits your insulin dosage.

Having said that, the bigger picture of regular blood glucose monitoring looks demanding. From recording sugar levels round-the-clock, pricking yourself every day, to battling diabetes stress, things can get taxing.

With Wellfinity’s holistic, integrative and a functional medicine approach, you can now uproot diabetes for good and lead a medicine-free life. You’ll be glad to know that our team assessed Ashok’s body functions and customized a lifestyle plan suited to his needs and schedules. After successfully reversing diabetes, we had Ashok monitor his blood sugar levels monthly for the first year and then every three months thereafter to ensure the sustainability.

With diabetes reversal, you can lead a life away from the hassles of diabetes control.