Common Questions
2. In the past year I've gotten an infection at the insulin infusion site a couple of different times. How do I recognize an infection in the early stages and does anything help to prevent them?
Always contact your healthcare team if you think that your insulin infusion site has become infected. Infusion site infections can progress and worsen quickly and may need medical treatment.
Signs and symptoms of an infusion site infection may include redness, a "hot" sensation, a hard or painful lump, and/or blood glucose levels that are consistently elevated. Infusion site infections tend to start at the tip of the infusion set needle or infusion set cannula deep under the skin. Insulin infusion sites should not be painful; if you are experiencing pain, change the site immediately and check for other signs of infection.
There are multiple steps you can take to prevent an infusion site infection:
- Always wash your hands thoroughly before handling an infusion set.
- Cleanse the infusion site prior to insertion of the infusion set. There are several antiseptics available over-the-counter that you can use for cleansing the infusion site. Many of these preparations also leave a tacky residue when drying and aid in infusion set adhesiveness. It is important to always let the antiseptic dry completely before inserting the infusion set. Some of the most popular preparations include Hibiclens and Skin Prep.
- Another important way to prevent an infusion site infection is to follow the manufacturer's recommendation for changing the infusion set and rotating the infusion site as recommended by your healthcare team. A general rule is not to wear any infusion set longer than 2 (metal needle) to 3 (Teflon® cannula) days.