Eat This Not That: Which Finger Is Best To Test Blood Sugar

This video demonstrates how to prick your fingers finger-tips for obtaining a blood sample for checking your blood sugar when using a lancet device. Williams MSN RN CDE herself a type 2 diabetic chooses her test sites by.

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Where to Test The least painful spot to do a blood sugar test is on the side of your finger.

Which finger is best to test blood sugar. Here are some tips about how to test painlessly drawn from my own experience and that of people who have posted on this topic on the altsupportdiabetes newsgroup over the past decade. Most meters come with a user guide that indicates approved sites. Some people occasionally use the middle of a finger if the sides have become too sore.

Your palm arm thigh and calf if these are approved sites according to the instructions in your meter. Dont test on the same finger. According to Diabetes Management pricking the side of your fingertip is less painful and just as accurate as the pad of your finger.

You prick your finger with a small sharp needle called a lancet and put a drop of blood on a test strip. Use a different finger each time and a different area. But a growing body of evidence shows that for most type 2 diabetes patients routinely.

And dont prick the middle or too close to a nail. Do not test on the pad of the finger. The monitor can store up to 500 test results in its internal memory and a single battery can power the device for six to 12 months depending on how frequently you test your blood sugar.

1 Ulrike Hammerich EyeEm Getty Images Using alternative body sites for blood sugar testing has been a relief to many with type 1 diabetes who have suffered from chronically sore fingers from multiple tests each day. To be on the safe side wipe off the first drop of blood from your finger and then place a second drop not allowing the skin of your finger to touch the testing strip. Some meters can test blood taken from an alternate site such as the forearm or palm.

Then you put the test strip into a meter that shows your blood sugar level. If you have type 2 diabetes chances are you prick your finger once a day or so to check your blood sugar. Fingertips can become dry cracked and calloused with frequent blood sugar testing.

Place the device against the side of your finger and press the plunger. The World Health Organisation recommends the middle or ring fingers are used for blood glucose tests second and third fingers. Obtain a good drop of blood prior to placing it on the strip.

Put a test strip into your meter Prick your finger with the lancing device at the sides of the finger as there are less nerve ending here than at the tips or the pads. I use all ten fingers for blood sugar testing and on each finger I have four penetration sites. There are several ways to test your blood sugar.

You may also want to use a lotion specifically designed for people who do finger stick testing ask your healthcare provider for a recommendation. If you still have too little blood you can squeeze your finger but start at the part closest to your palm and work your way down your finger until you have enough. One of its best features is that it uses test strips that are compatible with at least a half-dozen other glucometers from One Touch and are available at.

Choose which finger to prick but avoid your thumb or index finger finger next to your thumb. For the best results rotate fingers and use each side of each finger to test with. But these readings may not be as accurate as readings from the fingertips especially after a meal or during exercise when blood sugar levels change more frequently.

The World Health Organisation recommends the middle or ring fingers are used for blood glucose tests second and third fingers. Common alternative blood testing sites include the palm forearm upper arm thigh and calf. The meter will display your blood sugar level on a screen after a few seconds.

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