The Benefits And Disadvantages Of Using Insulin Pumps

There are few different ways to manage diabetes mellitus with insulin injection and insulin pills as being the most common methods used by diabetics. Another way that is getting popular would be using an insulin pump, which offers more freedom to the user when it comes to dieting and has the ability to provide insulin on demand. A standard insulin pump consists of three main parts, namely a battery powered pump, a disposable reservoir for insulin storage and a disposable infusion set that is placed under the user's skin. Like any medical therapies, using an insulin pump has both pros and cons to be discussed further in this article.

For starters, insulin pumps eliminate the need for insulin shots using an insulin pen or a needle. It comes as a relief for the trypanophobic, and those in search of more freedom from the frequent shots. That's because an insulin pump will only need to be changed every couple of days. You also get relief from any bouts of hyperglycemia as the insulin pumps provide insulin 24 hours each day. This means that your glucose levels will always remain normal, so long as the insulin pump is working.

Insulin pumps can help Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes patients to manage their insulin administration more easily. On top of that, they provide more accurate insulin administration when compared against injections which are more likely to over or under-estimate the dosages needed. Neuropathy, a condition affecting those with treatment resistant diabetes experience much lesser pain when they start to use insulin pumps.

Nevertheless, insulin pumps are not all good news without any disadvantages. It is a more expensive approach of insulin therapy when compare against insulin shots, since there are the costs of the pumps and infusion sets that need to be considered. Since the insulin shots are worn all the time, they are rather limiting when it comes to indulging in some activities, like swimming, or playing an intensive sport. Overtime, it can get rather uneasy to have them around.

Insulin pumps are also mechanical objects, which are prone to breakdown. When this happen, you have no choice but use insulin injections till your pump is replaced. Also, should the pump run out of power, and insulin is not administered into your body, the resulting insulin deficiency may lead to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), as the body tries to compensate by using ketones for energy. To prevent this, insulin pump users are forced to monitor their blood sugar levels more frequently to ascertain that the pumps are indeed working as they should. Insulin pumps are not all good and no bad, however for most users, they tend to report more positive than negatives feedback.

The other insulin therapies like the insulin pumps have their pros and cons. Which insulin infusion method to go for sometimes breaks down to personal preference, as some people prefer the regular insulin shots, while others are more comfortable with the pumps. At the end of the day, what's most important is that the therapy you are using gives you the desired results.