Diabetes Guide – Testing Your Blood Sugar Levels

Detailed in this article are 5 different methods that can be used to test your blood sugar levels. Though they differ in the way they do it, these diabetes testing methods perform one and the same thing. Which is best for you is really just a case of personal preference.

1. Blood sugar monitoring at home. This method is the most common. It involves pricking your finger with a sharp needle (professionally designed for this purpose). You will then need to squeeze the finger in order to obtain a drop of blood which you will then place on a test strip. This test strip will then be placed into a meter which will in turn determine your blood sugar level.

2. Alternative self testing. Over the years, meters which allow you to test blood taken from various parts of your body, not just your finger tip, have been developed; possible parts to test include: the base of your thumb, your thighs and your forearms. Despite these additional options drawing blood from your finger tips remains the most used. The reason being that the blood in your finger tips gives a more precise reading than blood in other parts of your body.

3. Drawing blood through laser. In the late 90s, a laser device that was capable of extracting blood from a finger was approved by the FDA (Food & Drug Administration).. This device was in response to the numerous complaints of discomfort and pain caused by the regular pricking of the finger. It’s a popular choice for those who feel uncomfortable piercing their skin with a needle.

4. The continuous glucose monitoring system. This method utilizes a very small tube that can be left under your skin. The device then collects small amounts of fluids and measures the sugar levels or content of these fluids over a 72 hour period. It’s an underused system but should be considered by those who forget or don’t always have time to take blood samples themselves.

5. ‘Gluco Watch’ device. Officially released after approval by the FDA is 2001, the Gluco Watch is a device that you wear on your wrist. This watch-like meter helps you to measure your blood sugar levels three times per hour over a 12 hour period. As a non invasive method, it’s become increasingly popular since it was made available.

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