Health Tip: Choosing the Right Insulin Injection Site

(HealthDay News) — Where you inject yourself with insulin matters, since different spots can affect the insulin’s effectiveness.

The American Diabetes Association advises that you:

Understand that areas such as the stomach allow insulin to reach your bloodstream faster than the back of the upper arm, thigh or buttocks.
Inject yourself in the same general area each time so the time it takes for insulin to reach your bloodstream is consistent. But don’t use the exact same spot each time. Hard spots may form if you use the exact same spot to inject insulin each time, which may make the insulin less reliable.
Inject pre-breakfast insulin in the abdomen, and pre-dinner insulin in the thigh.
Ask your doctor if you aren’t sure of the best places to inject yourself.