Finger Stick Test For Diabetes

There are several ways to test your blood sugar.

Finger stick test for diabetes. You prick your finger with a small sharp needle called a lancet and put a drop of blood on a test strip. This can be uncomfortable and painful for many which can result in less frequent testing and. Type 2 diabetes is an epidemic afflicting one in 11 people in the united states. Your doctor will have you take one or more of the following blood tests to confirm the diagnosis.

An a1c below 5 7 is normal between 5 7 and 6 4 indicates you have prediabetes and 6 5 or. There are different methods to obtain a blood sugar reading including finger stick blood tests using a blood glucose monitor or by wearing a sensor for readings 24 hours a day with a continuous glucose monitor cgm. The procedure involves pricking your finger and putting the. Is the finger stick blood test necessary for type 2 diabetes treatment.

The freestyle libre system is a continuous glucose monitor cgm worn on the upper arm that provides real time blood glucose blood sugar readings every minute for people over 18 who have type 1 diabetes and for those who take insulin it has been reported that people who frequently test their blood sugar have lower a1c levels a measure of average glucose levels over two to three months and. A finger stick blood sugar test is the most common. Find out when to test your blood sugar how to use a blood sugar meter and more. Check your device s users guide to learn if you need to check and if so how often you need to do it.

Blood sugar testing is an important part of diabetes care. A finger stick is a classic blood sugar testing method but you may be tired of pricking your fingers. Your home kit will have instructions. In a landmark study unc school of medicine researchers have shown that blood glucose testing does not offer a significant advantage in blood sugar control or quality of life for type 2 diabetes patients who are not treated with insulin.

Diabetics have to test their blood sugar several times a day usually by pricking their finger with a lancet. For those treated with insulin checking blood sugar with a finger stick at home is an accepted practice for monitoring the effects of insulin therapy. Will the daily routine of finger pricking to monitor blood glucose levels finally come to an end for the millions living with diabetes. Diabetes affects over 425 million people worldwide.

Tests for type 1 diabetes type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. Learn about alternate site testing for managing diabetes. The a1c test measures your average blood sugar level over the past 2 or 3 months. However the majority of type 2 diabetes patients are not treated with insulin.