An End to Painful Insulin Injections?

Diabetes is a condition that many people struggle with and that can drastically change the way we live our lives in many ways. It reduces the amount of sugar we can have, leaves us with wavering energy levels and puts us at risk of multiple problems such as neuropathy or loss of vision.

One of the most unpleasant aspects of living with diabetes however is the necessity for regular and often painful insulin injections to restore our body's ability to process glucose. These can be highly inconvenient, require a certain amount of preparation and sterilisation and for those who do not like needles it can be completely traumatic. Fortunately there may be an end in sight and many new ways to take insulin are being designed by companies that realise the potential profit involved in such an innovation as well as how much it could positively affect the lives of those with diabetes.

One new method in development is inhalation. One product called 'Afrezza' promises to replace insulin injections with an inhaler much like asthma inhalers in designs, being more practical to carry around, carrying fewer risks, reducing pain and possibly even being more effective. Afrezza is currently awaiting the approval of the American Food and Medical Department.

A new pill is also in development that excitingly makes use of nano technology (technology only as wide and tall as a single atom). These nanoparticles will be small enough to pass through the body into the bloodstream and then to respond to the pH level of the blood to break down and release the insulin. The technology has been shown to work on pigs and rats but is surrounded by a certain amount of controversy as it is thought the nano particles might be difficult to control as they pass through skin and surfaces. As nano-technology has many potential possibilities it will likely be the subject of a lot of research to determine this.

So an end is in sight, which may slightly take some of the sting off of the injections. Until then, try warming up your needles which has also been said to lessen the pain.