Diabetes is one of the most common chronic ailments that affects an estimated 30.3 million people in the country. Diabetes is a group of metabolic disorders that results in an increase in the blood sugar level since the body is unable to produce enough insulin to process sugar in the blood or the body’s cells do not respond to insulin in an appropriate manner.

One of the popular treatment methods to control diabetes involves injecting insulin into the body to allow the body to process the glucose in the blood and maintain appropriate glucose levels. Earlier, for this very purpose, insulin injections were used.

The insulin pens are fast gaining popularity owing to its easy-to-use quality. These insulin pens deliver insulin in a better, accurate, and convenient way as compared to the syringe method, which used to be quite intimidating and overwhelming for the individual. If you aren’t acquainted with the concept of the insulin pen and how to use it, keep reading.

What is an insulin pen?
The insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas which is necessary for absorbing the sugar present in the blood. When the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or reacts unfavorably to it, it gives rise to diabetes.

What are the different types of insulin pen?
The first insulin pen was manufactured by a Danish company, Novo Nordisk, in the year 1985; it has undergone several changes with the passage of time. There are two types of insulin pens that are used to successfully deliver insulin into the body.

• Disposable Insulin Pen : This type of insulin pen comes with an insulin cartridge that is prefilled. Once the insulin pen is used, this insulin pen has to be disposed right away.
• Reusable Insulin Pen : As the name suggests, this insulin pen can be reused. This insulin pen contains a replaceable cartridge that can be discarded and replaced with a new insulin cartridge.

People often opt for reusable insulin pens since they are cost-effective, and with the proper care, these insulin pens can last for years.

How to choose the right insulin pen?
There are a plethora of companies manufacturing different models of insulin pens, and this can be a problem when you set out to buy an insulin pen for yourself. So, here are some tips to ensure that you choose the right insulin pen.

• Ensure that you opt for insulin pens manufactured by a reliable brand. Conduct some research on your part; go through the website thoroughly or check for customer reviews. These measures would give you an insight into the company’s reliability quotient.
• Check of the size of insulin dose the insulin pen can hold. It should be perfect for the amount of insulin dosage that you inject into the body.
• Opt for an insulin pen which is durable. This is applicable if you are looking for a reusable insulin pen. Also, check for the material from which the insulin pen is made of. The material should be sturdy and safe to use.
• It is common knowledge that the level of glucose in the blood keeps fluctuating. In such cases, the doctor might advise you to increase or decrease your insulin dosage. So, opt for an insulin pen that will allow you to adjust the levels of insulin dosage.
• In case you put in the wrong level of insulin in the insulin pen, the right insulin pen can correct the dose levels you put in on its own. So, it is sensible to choose an insulin pen which can perform such tasks.
• Insulin pens are used by people of all ages; it is more often used by the elderly population. To allow them to put in correct insulin levels or make adjustments, it is essential that the size of the numbers on the dose dial is quite visible.
• As mentioned above, insulin pens are used by different sections of the population, which means that kids too would be using it. So, choose an insulin pen that is easy to use and doesn’t require an extreme level of proficiency in order to use it.

What are the benefits of using insulin pens?
Using insulin pens have benefitted people with diabetes in the following manner.

• Firstly, these insulin pens can be used with ease by older adults and children alike.
• The small and thin needles that are used to administer the doses are a great relief from the syringes used earlier. Not only were they quite intimidating, they also used to induce pain and fear. The small, thin needles do not cause a lot of pain.
• It has memory features that display when and how much of the last dose was administered.
• These are portable and disposable as well.
• Insulin pens have the ability to adjust the doses and are known to deliver accurate insulin doses.