Listed below are 5 different methods you can use to test the sugar levels in your blood. Though they differ in the way they do it, these diabetes testing methods perform one and the same thing. The best one for you is dependent on personal preference rather than anything else.
1. Blood sugar monitoring at home. This is the most commonly used method. You are required to prick your finger with a sharp needle (professionally designed for this purpose). Having done this, you then need to squeeze some blood from your finger on to a testing strip. The test trip is then inserted into a meter which has a display which shows the blood sugar level specific to you.
2. Alternative meter test kits. Over the years, newer meters have developed which now let you test body parts. Not just your finger tip every time; these include your upper arms, your forearms, the base of your thumb, and your thighs. Despite these additional options drawing blood from your finger tips remains the most used. This is simply because the blood sugar levels from your finger tips show changes way quicker than any other part of the body.
3. Blood testing by laser. In the late 90s, a laser device that was capable of extracting blood from a finger was given approval by the FDA (Food & Drug Administration). The development of the device was a result of the widespread complaints about the pain and inpractibility of existing methods. It’s a popular choice for those who feel uncomfortable piercing their skin with a needle.
4. Glucose monitoring system. A system involving a device including a very small tube which is inserted under your skin. The device then collects a number of small “packets” of fluid and measures the sugar content or levels 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. The ‘Gluco Watch’. 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 approximately three times every hour over a 12 hour period. As a non invasive method, it’s become increasingly popular since it was made available.