measure blood sugar

Eva Rudolf-Müller is a freelance writer in the medical team. She studied human medicine and newspaper sciences and has repeatedly worked in both areas - as a doctor in the clinic, as a reviewer, and as a medical journalist for various specialist journals. She is currently working in online journalism, where a wide range of medicine is offered to everyone.

More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.

Many diabetics need to measure their blood sugar - before every meal, in the morning and in the evening. The measured value determines which dose of blood sugar lowering insulin has to be injected. A small prick in a finger is required to measure blood sugar. The blood drop that emerges is examined for its sugar content using a measuring device. Read more about measuring blood sugar.

What is a blood glucose test?

A blood sugar measurement is used to determine the sugar value (glucose value) of the blood. This is especially important for diabetics: In their case, a malfunction of the pancreas means that too little or no insulin is produced - a hormone that is necessary for body cells to be able to absorb sugar from the blood for energy use. Many diabetics therefore have to inject insulin before eating. In order to know what amount of hormones is necessary in each individual case, you have to measure the sugar beforehand.

When do you measure your blood sugar?

You should measure blood sugar in the morning and in the evening as well as before (and under certain circumstances also after) each meal in order to be able to calculate the correct amount of insulin that matches the planned food intake.

How do you get a blood glucose test?

Before you start measuring your blood sugar, you should wash your hands with soap and water and then dry them well. If there is still moisture on the skin, the drop of blood will be thinned, which will falsify the reading. Disinfectants for cleaning are not necessary. Before you prick your finger with the lancet in the lancing device, you can shake out your arms and hands or massage your finger gently to promote blood circulation.

Then prick the skin on the side of the fingertip on the middle, ring or little finger - this area has fewer nerve endings, which makes the sting less painful. Then take up the blood drop with the test strip, which should already be in the meter. The device will then measure the blood sugar and show you the value.

Measure blood sugar without stinging?

Measuring blood sugar without stinging - that is a wish of many patients, but it will probably not be fulfilled anytime soon. Despite a great deal of research on animal tear fluid, there is still no other way of reliably measuring blood sugar than with a small prick on the finger. The results of the experiments on tears cannot be transferred from animal to animal. Test strips, which determine the sugar level in the urine, only react from a sugar level of 160 to 180 mg%, i.e. if the level is far too high (the level should not exceed 125 mg%).

Measure blood sugar without blood?

With a new method, blood sugar can be measured without blood - with the help of a sensor that is implanted under the skin on the upper arm and continuously determines the blood sugar value from the intercellular fluid. The sensor works for 14 days and the data can be called up at any time with a reader. In the case of very low or very high blood sugar values, however, you should measure the blood sugar in the conventional way.

Measure blood sugar without test strips?

New devices, which are specially designed for on the go, allow blood sugar to be measured without test strips. They are a combination of a blood glucose meter, lancing device and tests in one cassette.

What are the risks of measuring blood sugar?

If you adhere to the recommended hygiene recommendations and procedures, measuring blood sugar is not associated with any risks or complications (such as inflammation).

What should I watch out for after measuring my blood sugar?

Depending on the current blood sugar level, diabetics have to inject a certain amount of insulin after measuring their blood sugar. This is the only way that blood sugar can be used in the body. This is very important to avoid hypoglycaemia.

Tags:  laboratory values baby toddler Diagnosis