Diabetes is surely hard on the hands.
Testing your blood sugar through the prick of the fingertips each and every day makes for sore and sometimes very callused fingers.
But there has to be a better way, right?
Well, as a person living with diabetes, the need for monitoring your blood sugar won’t go away. It’s a necessary process to make sure you take the right amount of insulin needed for your body to function. However, checking your sugar doesn’t have to be so painful.
Check out these tips for less painful finger pricks.
Use soap and water, not alcohol.
Many people with diabetes get in the habit of wiping the finger with alcohol to sanitize the area before sticking the needle. But the alcohol may be making things more painful for you. It’s an astringent and the skin tightens upon contact. Whereas, if you use water and soap, the finger gets just as clean and there’s no pain during pricking.
Never use the same finger back to back.
For starters, using the same finger day after day leads to callusing, which means thicker skin. This thicker skin makes it harder to prick the finger. Switch it up as much as you can with new fingers.
Test on warm, not cold hands.
If you live in true wintertime climates, you know the feeling of cleaning the snow off your car without gloves to protect your hands. Yes, it’s painful. Now, imagine pricking your finger right after that – even more painful. Thus, it’s always better to stick your fingers when your hands are warm. Also, warm hands get the blood circulating well enough for a good blood drop during the prick.
Try the sides.
It’s common practice to stick the tip of the finger during blood sugar testing. Though, that’s possibly one of the most sensitive parts of the body. Try pricking the sides of your finger. It may hurt much less.
By subscribing, you consent to receive emails from BlackDoctor.com. You may unsubscribe at any time. Privacy Policy & Terms of Service.
