Injection :- The needle and syringe is the commonest of the four insulin delivery systems. Today's needles are much improved from years ago. They are sharper, finer, and coated with Teflon to make injections much less painful than they used to be. Injections should be given preferably 20-30 minutes before the meal to achieve proper peak of insulin action corresponding to elevated sugar levels after a meal except Lantus which can be given just before the meals. The needle is to be inserted in the pinched up skin at 90o angle so that the injection is in the subcutaneous tissue. It is advisable to use disposable syringes, which are now easily available.



The cost of the syringe is often a limiting factor to the routine use of these syringes. Patients can reuse the same disposable syringe and decrease the costs. Insulin syringes may be reused 2-3 times if the needle is not blunt. The same syringe can be used for different sites but it should never be used on different patients.

Insulin pens :- An insulin pen is a compact, portable device that serves exactly the same function as a needle and syringe, but is handier and more convenient to use. A wide variety of disposable and reusable insulin pens that come pre-loaded with their insulins are available in the market. One of the great advantages of insulin pens is that they are more suitable for patients who are frequent travelers.

Insulin pump :- An insulin pump is a computer-controlled device, which comes in the size and shape of a pager. It painlessly and accurately delivers insulin all day long through a tiny tube inserted just under the skin.

Insulin pump is the best and most intensive way that currently exists to control diabetes. The pump is not entirely pain-free. The location of the infusion set has to be changed after every second or third day to prevent infection at the site.