A member asked:
as a diabetic type 1take needles dailydo i always need to use rubbing alcohol, i've seen people do it through their pants. i always use a new needle?
2 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in
Dr. Ralph Morgan Lewis answered
Family Medicine 38 years experience
Sterilize injxn site: Even with a new needle, injecting thru pants can potentially introduce germs into the injection site, especially if the pants are dirty. Rubbing alcohol is quick, easy, cheap—far cheaper than an infection. Betadine might be used but is messy & discolors skin unless wiped off with alcohol. Prevention is always better.
5642 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Daniel Ziegler answered
Emergency Medicine 30 years experience
ALWAYS be sterile: Hiv & hepatitis get the publicity when it comes to self administered injection drugs. Its not viruses that take the careless ones down as much as spinal cord abscesses & heart valve infections due to bacteria that overwhelm the body's defenses in hours to days. With trillions of bacteria per square inch on un-prepped skin and clothes, a needle will push a core sample from each layer into the body.
5642 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
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Last updated Feb 21, 2014
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