Inhaled Insulin: A Viable Alternative Or A Passing Fad?

By: Julia Hanf

A hormone which plays an integral role in the development of diabetes, insulin is also a pivotal constituent of most modern methods of diabetes treatment. This hormone is secreted by the Islets of Langerhans in your pancreas and helps your body recognize the availability of glucose in your blood, so that it can be assimilated and used as energy. When an individual ceases to produce insulin, or develops a resistance towards this hormone, thereby significantly reducing its effectiveness, the glucose levels in his blood begin to rise, bringing about a host of dangerous, and even life-threatening, complications.

Until recent times, the only feasible way to administer insulin has been through insulin injections, which are used in keeping with the amount of glucose present in your blood. This lets the diabetic gain the upper hand in determining what he needs to do in order to keep his blood glucose well within the targeted range, instead of letting diabetes take control of his body. The not so pleasant part of the ordeal begins when the diabetes strikes very young, or targets the elderly, where administering repeated injections is not only an unpleasant, but often even an unworkable solution. This makes diabetes management a lot more complex and a tremendously uphill task, where the individual begins to dread insulin instead of embracing it as the lifesaver that it is.

In view of this pertinent challenge that confounds a vast majority of individuals across the world, which also keeps them from coming to terms and coping with their disease, researchers have begun to investigate alternative means of administering insulin, which are as easy to implement for the victim as they are effective against his disease. Of the numerous techniques which have been conceived and tested, one method which has gained tremendous popularity with medical practitioners and diabetics alike is inhaled insulin.

As the name suggests, this method is centered on inhaling insulin through the mouth via a device which regulates the amount of insulin that you breathe in, as per the dosage that is recommended for you. Previous attempts to administer insulin through the nostrils has not delivered very promising results, given the fact that the membranes in the nasal cavity filter out a large portion of the insulin, compelling the individual to intake extremely high doses.

The insulin, which is extracted from insulin blisters, gets to work immediately after it is administered, demonstrating its glucose controlling effect in a matter of just about 20 minutes. You can further modify the dosage by programming the device to release only the appropriate amounts of insulin which, in turn, lets you have a reasonable amount of control in regulating your blood glucose levels. The sobering effect that this insulin has on your glucose lasts for a maximum of 6 hours, after which a follow-up does needs to be administered to prevent a sudden surge in your blood glucose. This drawback has lead many medical practitioners to point accusatory fingers at inhaled insulin, termed it as just a quick-fix and not a very reliable method of diabetes control.

Inhaled insulin is also not recommended for pregnant women, or for individuals who smoke or even those who suffer from respiratory problems. Further, this method is also compounded with a host of negative side and after effects like chest pain, nose bleed and a sore feeling in your throat. Inhaled insulin has also been known to trigger allergic reactions in certain individuals like wheezing, hives, itching and rashes.

When switching from insulin injections to inhaled insulin, make sure that you seek the approval of your physician first. Experts also recommend a thorough medical examination to ensure that inhaled insulin does not bring about any negative complications in your body once you begin to use it on a regular basis. As with any other form of diabetes control, inhaled insulin will only work if you stick to the schedule prescribed by your physician diligently and report any untoward side effects immediately. Educate yourself about diabetes today to learn how simple and effortless treating this disease can actually be!

Article Source: www.harperandassociatesinsurance.com

Julia Hanf author of the book How To Play the Diabetes Diet Game and Win Through a real life crisis Julia figured out how to live diabetes free. Visit www.yourdiabetescure.com and learn more about your solution for diabetes.

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