Everyone with diabetes should test their blood glucose levels regularly. Knowing your blood glucose levels allows you to alter your diabetes management strategy if your levels aren't near your target blood glucose.

Also, regular testing of your blood glucose levels can help reduce your risk of having long-term complications from diabetes. Based on studies of people with type 1 diabetes (Diabetes Control and Complications Trial [DCCT]) and type 2 diabetes (United Kingdom Prevention of Diabetes [UKPDS]), maintaining near normal blood glucose and HbA1c levels significantly reduces the risks of complications arising from diabetes.

Ways to Test Your Blood Glucose

Traditional Home Blood Glucose Monitoring. The traditional method of testing your blood glucose involves pricking your finger with a lancet (a small, sharp needle), putting a drop of blood on a test strip and then placing the strip into a meter that displays your blood sugar (glucose) level. Meters vary in features, readability (with larger displays or spoken instructions for the visually impaired), portability, speed, size and cost. Current devices provide results in less than 15 seconds and can store this information for future use. These meters can also calculate an average blood glucose level over a period of time. Some meters also feature software kits that retrieve information from the meter and display graphs and charts of your past test results. Blood glucose meters and strips are available at your local pharmacy.
Meters That Test Alternative Sites. Newer meters allow you to test sites other than your fingertip; these alternative testing sites include upper arm, forearm, base of the thumb and thigh. However, testing at alternative sites may give you results that are different from the blood glucose levels obtained from the fingertip. Blood glucose levels in the fingertips show changes more quickly than those in alternative testing sites. This is especially true when your blood glucose is rapidly changing, like after a meal or after exercise. It is also important to know that if you are checking your sugar at an alternative site while you are experiencing symptoms of hypoglycemia, you should not rely on these test results.
Lasers to draw blood. In 1998, a laser to draw blood was approved. The laser device produces a precise beam of light that penetrates the skin on the finger instead of pricking it, reducing pain and discomfort.
MiniMed Continuous Glucose Monitoring System. This device involves a small plastic catheter (very small tube) that is inserted just under the skin. It collects small amounts of fluid and measures the glucose content over 72 hours.
GlucoWatch. In 2001, the FDA approved the GlucoWatch, a watch-like device that helps people with diabetes measure their blood glucose via tiny electric currents. It draws small amounts of fluid from the skin and measures blood glucose levels three times per hour for up to 12 hours. The GlucoWatch is considered a first step toward noninvasive, continuous glucose monitoring, but it does have some shortfalls.