Ten things to note when monitoring blood sugar

She has been suffering from type 1 diabetes for 38 years without any complications. How does she do it? Today I will share with you some blood sugar monitoring skills. I hope that everyone can be like her without complications.

1 Preparation before the test is necessary

Before measuring blood sugar, wash your fingers with soap, soak them in hot water slightly higher than the skin temperature for a while, and rub them while soaking. Do not disinfect your fingers with alcohol or iodine. After drying your fingers with a paper towel, shake your hands downwards several times. This will Increase blood circulation in your fingertips, and later you can easily get a large drop of blood with just a shallow prick.

2Selection of acupuncture depth

Blood collection needles usually have a number from 1 to 5 to choose from, which is the depth of the needle tip into the skin. Generally, children and women with tender fingertip skin can choose between 1 and 3. Men and elderly people have thicker skin, so it is more suitable to choose between 3 and 5. Here is a little tip: choose a slightly smaller number. As long as you press the lancet tightly against the skin, you can get a suitable drop of blood. And because the skin only feels pressed, the pain of the needle prick is not very obvious. (For specific methods, you can reply "not painful" and check out the long-lost "unique skill for measuring blood sugar without pain" written by Yi Jiejun)

3 different parts, different feelings

The pain at different blood collection sites on the fingertips varies. Try to avoid pricking the needle at the fingertips, because the peripheral nerves are concentrated in the middle of the front of the fingertips and the pain is more sensitive. If you choose the sides of the fingertips, the pain will be slightly weaker.

4. Quick operation is the trick

Some patients press the lancet on their fingers for a long time and still hesitate to press the ejection button. Such a delay may more easily arouse inner fear. After the preparation is done, press the lancet on your finger and press the button immediately. The skillful operation can be completed instantly without any pain.

5. Don’t squeeze hard

Some patients find that there is not enough blood drop after pricking their fingers, so they squeeze their fingers hard to make the blood volume sufficient. Doing so often causes the subcutaneous tissue fluid to be squeezed out together, and the trace blood is diluted, resulting in measurement deviation. The correct method is to push from the base of the finger to the tip of the finger until enough blood drips.

6. Blood-absorbing test strips are also key

At present, many blood glucose meters use the test paper siphon method. If not operated properly, the blood cannot fill the test part of the test paper, resulting in inaccurate results or waste of test paper. The correct approach is: after pricking your finger, let the blood droplet contact the test strip to absorb the blood, but do not press the siphon port of the test strip with your finger.

7. After the test is completed, stop the bleeding in time

I often see some interesting scenes: when patients are checking their blood sugar, they press the blood droplet and stare at the blood glucose meter screen. They nervously wait for the test results and ignore themselves. If they are not careful, the residual blood on their fingers will contaminate the blood glucose meter. Or other items, if not done properly, the needle puncture site may become infected due to contact with dirt. The correct method is: after the test, press the wound with a sterilized cotton swab or a clean paper towel while waiting for the blood glucose meter to respond to get the blood sugar value.

8 Waste must also be disposed of

Needles, blood glucose test strips, etc. need to be cleaned correctly after testing, otherwise they may injure others or pollute the environment. As shown in the picture: the needle cap is also useful. Pull out the used needle and insert it into the needle cap; wrap the used test paper in a tissue or test paper bag before discarding it.

9Record at any time

Develop a good habit of recording blood sugar values. Over time, you can analyze recent blood sugar changes and present the data to the doctor during your visit to provide a basis for adjusting the treatment plan. (If blood sugar is high or low, it is best to record the meals and exercise so that doctors can find the cause - Yi Jiejun added)

10. Regular maintenance of instruments

The blood glucose meter is a miniature electronic device. In order to ensure accurate test results, regular maintenance of the instrument is essential. After using it for a certain period of time or testing a certain number, it needs to be calibrated or inspected by a formal department designated by the blood glucose meter to avoid failure. Data bias.