Insulin is prescribed by doctors to treat diabetes that cannot be controlled using only tablets. Common sites that are used to inject insulin are the arm, abdomen, and thigh.Common side effects that occur due to insulin injections are:
-Mild pain, irritation and redness at the site of injection.
-A common reaction to insulin injections is low blood sugar i.e. hypoglycemia. This can occur if you have not consumed enough calories or been fasting or done intense exercise while continuing with regular insulin injections.
-Symptoms of a drop in the blood sugar are dizziness, tingling or pins and needles sensation in hands or feet, sweating, intense thirst/hunger, blurring of vision, palpitations, shivering and fainting.
-You should immediately eat some sugar, or honey, or a candy if you notice these symptoms and contact your doctor at the earliest.
-Long term side effects include thickening of the skin at the site of injection if it hasn’t been changed for long.
-Allergic reactions to insulin are rare as injectable insulin is similar in structure to the natural insulin produced by our own body.