When you have symptoms or have diabetes, you need to check your blood sugar regularly. Blood sugar check can be done at home using a glucometer. Likewise with those of you who have prediabetes or have low blood sugar ( hypoglycemia ). However, when should you check your blood sugar every day? Learn all about self-checking blood sugar in this review!
When Should You Check Blood Sugar?
Blood sugar checks serves to monitoring the glucose level in the blood is under normal blood sugar limits .
For people with diabetes mellitus, routine blood sugar checks aim to evaluate whether the diabetes treatment or treatment has been successful in controlling blood sugar levels.
By regularly checking blood sugar, you can also find out what causes blood sugar levels to rise or fall from their normal limits. Exactly when you need to checking your blood sugar actually depends on your health condition, the type of diabetes you have, and the diabetes treatment you are taking.
In general, the right time to checking your blood sugar is before and after eating, to see the effect of changes in blood sugar levels from the food consumed.
However, people with type 1 diabetes who are dependent on insulin therapy need to checks their blood sugar more often (4-10 times). In addition to before eating, blood sugar check also need to be done before eating snacks, before and after exercising, at night, and in the morning.
According to the Clinic , people with type 1 diabetes also need to check their blood sugar more often than usual when they are sick, are active more intensely than usual, and when there is a change in schedule and type of medication.
Meanwhile, for people with type 2 diabetes , when it is the right time to check their own blood sugar, it can be done every waking up, before and after eating, and before going to bed.
If you are at risk for hypoglycemia, either due to insulin treatment or other metabolic disorders, the right way to checks your blood sugar yourself can be done before:
- Driving
- Doing strenuous activity
- Using heavy objects
How to Check Your Blood Sugar
Self checking of blood sugar is done by means of a blood sugar checker or glucometer. Blood sampling is generally done through the fingertip. Apart from being easy to reach, at the fingertips there are also many capillary blood vessels. Blood flow also flows better at the fingertips so that it can show accurate blood sugar results. Blood collection points can also be taken on the palms of the hands, thighs, calves, arms, and abdomen. However, most devices are designed for fingertip blood sampling.
To find out how to check the correct blood sugar, first you need to know what materials and tools are needed.
- Lancet (small needle)
- Lancing device ( to hold the needle)
- Alcohol and cotton
- Test strip
- Glucose meter
- Portable box
- Cable for download data (if needed)
After know the various tools contained in the blood sugar checking device, follow these steps:
- Wash your hands thoroughly using soap and running water.
- Place the lancet needle into the lancing device
- Insert the test strip into the glucose meter.
- Wipe your fingertips with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol.
- Prick the tip of your finger with the lancet to allow the blood to come out and be drawn.
- Put a drop of blood on the drip strip and wait for the result. Usually, a number indicating your blood sugar level will appear within a few seconds on the meter display.