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Strengthen your Insulin Compliance with Innovative Therapies & Knowledge

By: Catherine Albertson Click author's name for more of his/her articles

As the number of people with diabetes in the U.S. continues to grow, so have the medical advancements to manage the disease. There are currently a number of therapies that make taking insulin less (or nearly) painless which in turn can increase a person’s compliance with their therapy. Many people living with diabetes have several complaints about taking injections - it’s painful, it’s inconvenient, bleeding can occur, bruising and scar tissue formations, and the list goes on. Because it is so important for people with diabetes to take their insulin regularly, there have been many individuals who have dedicated their lives to inventing a variety of insulin injection devices, and it is thought that a combination of these innovative therapies and personal research will help to increase a patient’s compliance with their therapy.

There are several therapies currently on the market, such as insulin pens, pumps, and injection ports, all of which were created to aid in a patient’s compliance with treatment. These therapies make taking insulin nearly painless. Depending on how and where on your body you inject yourself can directly affect how painful the injections are. Physicians may request that the patient inject him/herself at the clinic so they can confirm the patient is effectively taking their injections. People living with diabetes should be aware of several places on the body that are optimal for insulin injections, such as the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, and the backs of arms. Additionally, it is always a good idea to rotate your injection sites, to keep the subcutaneous tissue healthy and the bruising/scaring to a minimum. Being properly informed and trained on the use of these can help you avoid potentially dangerous or painful situations and can help you comply with your insulin therapy.

Injection Ports and insulin pump infusion sets allow for easy and pain free insulin administration to virtually any place on your body. Their small and convenient features allow for quick application and discreet wear. After scouring the internet and researching patient complaints about injections, it seems that no side effect is more important than the other. Creating devices that tackle the main three (bleeding, bruising, and scaring) have been at the forefront of diabetic advancements in recent years. Additionally, there is a direct correlation between a person’s resistance to their respective method of insulin injections and their blood sugar readings. Prolonged high blood sugar can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, which is a life threatening condition. Additionally, uncontrolled blood sugars for prolonged periods of time can lead to life altering and sometimes fatal diabetes complications like heart disease, stroke, blindness and amputations. It is extremely important to monitor blood sugars and maintain a level glucose reading with constant and effective insulin administration. The advent of these less invasive therapies should only increase insulin compliance and help people living with diabetes stay healthy.

Don’t let your fear of injections get in the way of your health. Do your research regarding insulin therapies and recognize that there are alternative devices and information out there to help you stay well and active.

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

About The Author: Catherine is the Senior Manager for Marketing at Patton Medical Devices, the manufacturer for the i-port® Injection Port. Employed since 2006, Catherine has been actively involved in the development of the i-port® branding, website development, event production and overall marketing operations for Patton Medical Devices. Her prior experience includes working for GSD&M and the Lance Armstrong Foundation.