How to Properly Test a Diabetics Blood Sugar

Someone with diabetes either cannot absorb/produce insulin properly(type 2), or there pancreas has stopped working (type 1). No matter what type of diabetes, it is necessary for a diabetic to regularly check there blood sugar to help maintain there health. When a diabetic experiences either hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or hypoglycemia (High blood sugar). Preventing high blood sugar helps prevent long term health side effects (such as blindness, DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis , loss of limbs, etc., etc), while low blood sugar is immediate health side effects (such as incoherent, sweating, inability to wake, etc., etc.)

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Blood tester
• Alcohol swab

1. 
   Focus on the edges of the finger (cricled in red)

   Insert a test strip into the blood tester first to prepare to test once the finger is pricked!

2. Clean a fingertip with alcohol. Use the lance to prick your finger along the edge, try to stay to the side, as repeated finger sticks will cause a loss of feeling and its better to loss feeling in the sides, then on the tip.

3. Insert a test strip into the blood tester before you prick your finger to

4. Allow your finger to dry by shaking your hand below your belt line to increase the blood pressure and allow for a easier and lighter finger stick!

5. Prick your finger with the lance and apply slight pressure right next to the spot to help create a drop of blood on your finger, don't try to kill your finger, if you shook your hand below your belt line, you should be able to get a fairly large drop of blood no problem!

6. Gently press the blood tester's test strip against the drop of blood, be sure to place directly on top of the drop of blood and don't attempt to scrap/scoop the drop of blood up as this will cause your to receive an inaccurate result.

7. Once you receive your results, be sure to take care and treat for hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia if necessary.