Insulin Syringes - Page 6

Needle gauge, needle length, and barrel size are the main components to consider when using insulin syringes. Your physician should always advise which size is best for your needs.

• Needle Gauge: Needle gauge indicates the width or thickness of the insulin syringe. The gauge can range from 28-32 gauge. The smaller the gauge number, the bigger the thickness or width, so a 28 gauge will be bigger than a 31 gauge. A smaller gauge may cause less pain and needle anxiety.
• Needle Length: Needle length indicates the actual length of the needle on the syringe. The most common needle lengths are ½ inch (12.7mm), 5/16 inch (8mm), 3/16 inch (5mm) and 1/8 inch (4mm). The smaller the mm or millimeter, the shorter the needle.
• Barrel Size: Barrel size (measured in CC) indicates how many units of insulin a syringe can hold. The three common sizes of insulin needles available are 3/10cc (for 30 units or less), 5/10cc (for 50 units or less) and 1cc (used for 50-100 units). The smaller barrel for less insulin allows it to achieve better accuracy.

• Becton Dickinson (BD) is one of the leaders in diabetes care. They develop easy to use, high-quality syringes. BD offers advanced safety in their products to protect healthcare workers and patients.
• Monoject offers a full range of high, quality insulin needles. They look to the future for even more improvements in development.
• TRUEplus by Trividia Health offers affordable, quality insulin needles in a variety of sizes for added comfort.
• Sure Comfort, from Allison Medical, is known for quality and competitive pricing along with a wide offering of insulin syringes.

• Always use the correct size for your individual needs based on the instructions provided by your diabetes health care provider.
• Never re-use a syringe needle. The needle will become dull and lose the outer lubrication after the first use. This will make for a more painful injection with an increased risk for infection.
• Remember to monitor and keep track of your blood glucose levels.
• Always wash hands with warm water and soap prior to injection.
• Dispose of needles properly following your local ordinances. Call your local health department for more information. You can also purchase proper needle disposal containers.
• Remember to rotate your needle injection sites to prevent skin injury, scarring and help with absorption. Common injection sites are the abdomen, upper, outer thigh, and upper hips or buttocks.