How to check sugar level at home

Those diagnosed with diabetes need to keep track of their blood sugar levels regularly. By knowing the sugar levels, you can adjust your medication strategy as needed. Keeping track of the glucose levels regularly can also let you avoid some health problems in the long run. Here are a few blood sugar (blood glucose) tests you can do from home.

Home glucose monitoring with a meter

The home glucose monitoring kit comes with a lancet or a small sharp needle. Prick the fingertip with this needle and place the blood drop that oozes out on the strip provided in the kit. When the strip is inserted in the slot in the meter, the meter can give the blood sugar reading within 15 seconds.

There are different kinds of blood glucose monitoring devices available in the market. They differ in terms of their functions, speed, size, cost, portability and readability. Some devices can also help store the readings for future use and also for the charting of the blood glucose levels over a period of time.

Continuous glucose monitoring device

Some of these devices come with insulin pumps. These devices cannot give accurate blood glucose reading as the finger-stick glucose test readings do. However, these tests can help identify the trends and patterns in the levels of sugar in your blood. These devices are also called as interstitial glucose measuring devices.

Those using insulin more than once a day need to test their glucose levels at least three times a day. Such people can better invest in an insulin pump.