Pen Needles & Syringes: How Do You Know What Size Pen Needle to Use

If you inject insulin or a GLP-1, choosing the right needle length and thickness can be the difference between a painful experience and an “I hardly even noticed I did that” experience.

In this video, I’ll talk about how to choose the right pen needle for you, what the research says, what options you have, and proper dosing techniques to minimize pain and leakage.

I’ll also touch on syringes, as this is still the most widely used way of delivering insulin and we should all have syringes at home as a backup in case our insulin pens or pumps fail.

0:00 Introduction
1:05 What is a pen needle?
2:37 How do I choose the right needle?
3:30 Needle thickness - What’s smaller 29G or 32G?
3:59 How do you know what size insulin needle to use?
5:14 To pinch or not to pinch – how to use the different needles sizes
6:02 Will shorter needles increase leakage?
6:26 Pen needle options
8:08 How to choose the right insulin syringe?
9:52 Syringe needle size
10:15 Good injection practice

Research showing short needles works for all body sizes:

Brod M, Kongso JH, Lessard S, Christensen TL. Psychological insulin resistance: patient beliefs and implication for diabetes management. Qual Life Res. 2009;18:23-32.

Gibney MA, Arce CH, Byron KJ, Hirsch LJ. Skin and subcutaneous adipose layer thickness in adults with diabetes at sites used for insulin injections: implications for needle length recommendation. Curr Med Res Opin. 2010;26:1519-1530.

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DISCLAIMER: I’m not a medical professional, never stop your current treatment without consulting with your doctor