How to Check Your Blood Glucose at Home: What You Need to Know

Blood glucose monitoring is an important method for understanding one's body's glucose condition and managing diabetes. Whether it is for people who want to know whether they are at risk of diabetes or for patients who have been diagnosed with diabetes, regular attention to blood glucose changes can help to detect abnormalities in time and provide reference for subsequent health management. For diabetic patients, home blood glucose monitoring is also an important part of daily management, which helps to understand the trend of blood glucose changes and adjust the treatment plan together with the medical team.

The Reasons for Testing Blood Sugar at Home

Understand Daily Blood Sugar Levels

Testing blood sugar at home is helpful for understanding daily blood sugar levels and their changes. Blood sugar levels can be influenced by various factors such as diet, physical activity, stress, illness and medication, so the daily values may vary. Fingertip blood sampling devices can measure blood sugar at specific times, while continuous blood glucose monitors can track blood sugar changes throughout the day. For many non-pregnant adult diabetes patients, the common blood glucose target range is 80-130 mg/dL before meals, and less than 180 mg/dL one to two hours after meals. Recording meal times and daily activities can help discover the patterns of blood sugar changes and provide references for adjusting diet and management plans.

Detect High and Low Blood Sugar Promptly

Home self-testing can help to detect changes in blood glucose in time, whether it is in the presence of related symptoms or regular daily examinations, it can help to determine whether blood glucose is in the normal range. Hypoglycemia poses special risks for individuals using insulin or certain medications. When blood sugar drops below 70 mg/dL, treatment measures should be taken immediately. For conscious people who are able to swallow normally, 15 g of fast-moving carbohydrates is recommended, and if blood glucose remains below 70 mg/dL, the process should be repeated.

Help Evaluate the Effectiveness of Diabetes Treatment

Regularly recording blood sugar data is helpful for clinicians to assess whether the medications, dietary plans and exercise have achieved the expected blood sugar control goals. Keeping track of medication doses, meal times, exercise, and related symptoms can help you spot blood sugar patterns. If hypoglycemia occurs frequently after exercise, it is necessary to evaluate the dietary intake, medication dosage and activity schedule. All treatment adjustments should follow the established care plan. Patients can only change the insulin dosage on their own after the doctor clearly guides the adjustment plan.

Identify Abnormal Conditions and Seek Medical Attention in Time

Illness, dehydration, and missed insulin doses can all increase the risk of severe hyperglycemia, so people with diabetes should follow a doctor's sick leave management plan and monitor their blood glucose more frequently during their illness. When patients feel unwell or their blood sugar levels reach or exceed 250 mg/dL, they should check for ketone bodies according to their individual treatment plan. If the ketone body levels rise, they should seek medical attention immediately. If symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, breathing difficulties or shallow and rapid breathing, fruity exhalation, and confusion occur, an immediate emergency medical assessment should be sought. Urgent treatment is also required if the continuous blood sugar reaches or exceeds 300 mg/dL.

What Do You Need to Prepare for Blood Sugar Testing at Home?

For fingertip blood sampling tests, the first step is to have a blood glucose meter with a fully charged battery that can function properly, as well as test strips that meet the instrument requirements, have not expired, and are properly stored as per the manufacturer's instructions. Blood collection pens equipped with new and sterile blood collection needles, soap and water for hand washing, clean towels, and special sharp containers for safely discarding used blood collection needles should also be prepared. Before the test, you should wash your hands thoroughly and dry them to avoid food residues or moisture on your fingers affecting the test results. At the same time, follow the instructions of the blood glucose meter and do not share the blood collection needle with others. For those using CGM, compatible sensors and readers should also be prepared. Blood glucose meters should still be kept at hand at all times to conduct fingertip tests as prompted by the device, especially when physical symptoms do not match the sensor readings.

How to Use a Blood Glucose Meter to Test Blood Sugar?

Insert the Test Strip

Before using a blood glucose meter to test blood sugar, it is necessary to first confirm that the test strip matches the model of the blood glucose meter and check whether the test strip is within its validity period. High temperature, humidity or unsealed containers may all affect the performance of the test strips. Therefore, they should be properly stored in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Before operation, wash your hands with soap and warm water and dry them thoroughly to avoid food residues on your fingers affecting the test results or dilution of the blood sample due to moisture. Then, take out a test strip and immediately close the test strip container. Insert one end of the test strip into the blood glucose meter. Most blood glucose meters will turn on automatically. The tester should wait for a blood drop symbol or other prompt to appear on the screen, then drop the blood sample onto the test strip and complete the test according to the operation instructions of the specific model.

Collect a Small Amount of Blood

Before collecting blood, a new sterile blood collection needle should be installed in the blood collection pen, and the shallowest puncture depth that can produce sufficient blood droplets should be selected. Never share blood collection needles or equipment with others, even among family members. Before the test, you can warm your hands appropriately to promote blood flow and briefly lower your hands below the waist. The blood sampling pen is then placed on the side of the fingertip to perform the puncture, as this is usually less likely to cause significant pain compared to the center of the fingertip. After the puncture, it can be gently massaging from the root of the finger to the fingertip to help form sufficient blood droplets, but hard squeezing should be avoided to avoid mixing the tissue fluid into the blood sample and affecting the accuracy of the test.

Drop the Blood onto the Test Strip

When circular blood droplets appear, follow the instrument instructions to place the sampling end of the test strip close to the blood droplet. Many test strips will automatically draw blood through narrow channels, so it is necessary to avoid smeicing blood on the surface of the test strips to prevent affecting the sampling effect. Keep the test strip beside the blood droplet until the instrument indicates that enough blood has been collected. If an error message indicating insufficient sample volume appears, usually a new test strip needs to be replaced and blood collection should be done again. After waiting for the instrument to display the test result, confirm that the reading unit is either mg/dL or mmol/L. If the result does not match the expected value, it is recommended to wash hands again and dry them, and then use a new test strip for another test.

Record the Results and Safely Dispose of the Supplies

The blood glucose value, date and time should be recorded promptly after the test, and whether the test was performed before or after eating. Connected blood glucose meters or the accompanying applications usually can automatically save the test readings. Home blood glucose meters can only be used for daily monitoring and cannot be used alone for diagnosing diabetes. Diagnosis still requires corresponding clinical examinations. Used blood collection needles should be immediately placed into approved sharp containers in accordance with the equipment instructions. Blood-contaminated test strips and filled sharp containers should be properly disposed of in compliance with local regulations. Finally clean glucose meter, according to the specification and wash your hands after finish all operations.