A finger stick blood test is an easy
way to measure the amount of a certain substances in your blood
, by making a small prick into your fingertip and collecting a blood sample into a specially designed test strip or into a thin tube for laboratory testing.
What is a normal finger stick blood sugar?
Doctor’s Response. One important goal of diabetes treatment is to keep the blood glucose levels near the normal range of
70 to 120 mg/dl before meals
and under 140 mg/dl at two hours after eating. Home blood sugar (glucose) testing is an important part of controlling blood sugar.
Are finger sticks accurate for blood sugar?
Fingerstick testing is still the most accurate reflection of sugar levels in the blood stream
. It’s a good idea to discuss meter selection with your health care provider or diabetes educator.
Is blood sugar of 7.8 high?
Less than 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L)
is normal
. 140 to 199 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L and 11.0 mmol/L) is diagnosed as prediabetes. 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) or higher after two hours suggests diabetes.
What does a finger stick test for?
Hemoglobin levels
– Fingerstick testing of hemoglobin is a quick screening procedure to ensure a blood or plasma donor has an acceptably high blood count for donating blood or blood components.
What is the best finger to test blood sugar?
Recommended finger: the World Health Organisation recommends
the middle or ring fingers
are used for blood glucose tests (second and third fingers). You may want to avoid using your little finger due to the skin being thin.
What is normal blood sugar by age?
| Chart of Normal Blood Sugar Levels in Children Age Wise | Age Blood Sugar levels after Fasting Blood Sugar Levels After 1 to 2 Hours of Eating | 6 to 12 years >80 to 180 mg/dL Up to 140 mg/dL | 13 to 19 years >70 to 150 mg/dL Up to 140 mg/dL |
|---|
Why is blood sugar taken from finger?
Fingertips are traditionally used for
blood glucose testing because they have many capillaries
, and will usually provide a large enough drop of blood to get a reading from a blood glucose meter. However, the fingertips also have many nerve endings and are therefore sensitive.
Where can you stick yourself to check blood sugar?
Your thumb is another option if you’re tired of using fingers. Other possible locations include
the thigh, calf, upper arm, and forearm
. However, sites other than your palm are recommended only if your blood sugar is stable at the time of testing.
Why is blood sugar different in each finger?
Contamination of the fingers is a common culprit in blood sugar reading variability. That’s because it only
takes a little bit of food residue on your hands to impact blood glucose levels
. For example, just touching a banana or cutting a piece of fruit can send your numbers sky high.
What is a normal blood sugar level for a nondiabetic?
According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) guidelines for managing post-meal glucose levels, nondiabetic people should have a glucose level of
no higher than 140 mg/dl after meals
, and glucose should return to pre-meal levels within 2-3 hours.
What should I eat if my sugar is high?
- Whole wheat bread.
- Fruits.
- Sweet potatoes and yams.
- Oatmeal and oat bran.
- Nuts.
- Legumes.
- Garlic.
- Cold-water fish.
What is the highest blood sugar level that is safe?
| Normal blood sugar levels for adults | Before meal 70-130 | 1-2 hours after eating Less than 180 | Bedtime 100-140 |
|---|
Should you squeeze your finger after pricking?
Pricking the end of your finger can be more painful. Though it may be a tempting way to produce more blood quickly,
don’t squeeze your fingertip vigorously
. Instead, hang your hand and arm down, allowing blood to pool in your fingertips.
Is 170 sugar level normal?
A fasting blood sugar level of 100 to 125 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) means you may have a common precursor to diabetes, called prediabetes. (Normal blood sugar values range from
70 to 99 mg/dL
.)
Do finger sticks hurt?
By the way: make sure to avoid pricking thumbs and index fingers as they are most commonly used to touch and feel. And while you’re at it, know that
it won’t hurt to have your fingers
checked out by a doctor on a regular basis.
