Injection Tips & Techniques

Follow these tips for a safe and comfortable injection

1. Always start with a new sterile pen needle and prime your pen device according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Most pens require you to dial two units of medication and press the button to ensure the pen is primed and the medication is flowing through the pen needle.
2. Choose your site location according to your healthcare professional site rotation advice. The most common locations are the stomach, upper arms, thighs and buttocks.
   
3. Inject medication at room temperature and make sure there are no bubbles in the pen cartridge.
4. Cleanse the area with an alcohol swab and wait until it has completely evaporated before injecting.
5. Relax muscles around the injection site and pierce the skin quickly.
6. The most common technique is to inject straight in at a 90° angle (vertically) to deliver the insulin into the fatty subcutaneous tissue located between the skin and muscle.
7. Depending on your needle length you may need to use the “pinch-up” technique for longer needles to ensure you do not inject into the muscle. Some people also prefer to inject at an angle when using longer needles.
   
8. Inject slowly and keep the needle in your skin while you count to ten to ensure no insulin leaks out which can happen if the needle is removed too quickly.
9. Remove the pen needle and safely dispose after each injection.