Diabetes Guide – Testing Your Blood Sugar Levels
Detailed in this article are 5 different methods that can be used to test the sugar levels in your blood. Though they differ in the way they do it, these diabetes testing methods are used for the same purpose. Which is best for you is really just a case of personal preference.
1. Blood sugar monitoring at home. This is the most commonly used method. 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. The test trip is then inserted into a meter which displays your blood sugar level.
2. Alternative self testing. Over time, newer meters have developed which now allow you to test body parts other than your finger tip; these 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. This is simply because the blood sugar levels in your finger tips, show changes way quicker than any other part of the body.
3. Drawing blood through laser. Sometime in 1998, 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. For those who are not at ease with piercing their skin with a needle, this is an ideal solution.
4. The continuous glucose monitoring system. This method utilizes a very small tube that can be left under your skin. Over the course of 72 hours, at which time the tube needs to be replaced, the device collects samples from you and measures the blood sugar levels in them. 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. The FDA approved the Gluco Watch, which is device that is like a watch, in 2001. Three times per hour it measures your blood sugar levels and displays the reading. As a non invasive method, it's become increasingly popular since it was made available.