Giving An Insulin Injection

• Giving An Insulin Injection
• There are several brands of disposable (throw away) insulin syringes that come in different sizes and lengths. The needle size is called its gauge. The larger the needle gauge number is, the thinner the needle will be. Different syringes are used for different insulin strengths. The most commonly used strength in the United States is U-100. U-100 insulin has 100 units of insulin per milliliter (ml or cc) of fluid. You should use a U-100 syringe if you use U-100 insulin. Another strength of insulin is U-500, which should be injected using a syringe called a tuberculin syringe. U-40 insulin is sold outside of the United States and should be injected using a U-40 syringe.
  
• The type of U-100 syringe you will use depends on the dose of insulin you need. If your insulin dose is 30 units or less, you would use a three-tenths (3/10) cc syringe. If your dose is 50 units or less, you would use a one-half (½) cc syringe. You would use a 1 cc syringe if your dose is up to 100 units. Using the right syringe helps you get the right dose of insulin.

• Where do I inject insulin?

  How do I draw up one type of insulin into a syringe?

  How do I draw up two types of insulin into a syringe?

  
  

  How do I inject the insulin?

   

  What are some ways that I can decrease pain when injecting insulin?