How to Rotate Injection Sites for Insulin
People with diabetes who do daily insulin injections should avoid using the same spot over and over again. Changing your injection site will not only help ensure better insulin absorption but also cut down on the possibility of infection and swelling. Rotating your injection site can be done fairly easily.
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Instructions
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Draw up your prescribed dosage of insulin. Cleanse the area with an alcohol swab where you would like to do your injection.
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Inject the syringe into the desired location, making sure it's not the same site you used for your last injection. Choose a different spot each time your do your injection to avoid lipohypertrophy (severe swelling of the site due to the buildup of fat under the skin) or lipoatrophy (the wasting of fat under the skin).
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Rotate your injection site each time you take your insulin. Choose several different sites and plan a schedule to minimize overuse of one spot. Inject in your left leg one day, your right leg the next; then move up to the rear, hips, stomach, and arms. Write down a schedule to help you plan which sites to use on which days.
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Tips & Warnings
You can rotate the injection site not only by moving it to a different body part but also by moving it to a different place on the same body part---for example, from the back of the arm to the front, or up and down the upper arm, leg, or stomach.
If you notice swelling in a particular injection site, avoid the site for a few days until the swelling subsides. Consult your doctor if the swelling does not go away.
