How to Test Your Blood Sugar Without Pricking Your Finger

A finger stick has long been the gold standard for testing blood sugar levels for people living with diabetes. But, according to Richard Siegel, MD, an endocrinologist and a codirector of the diabetes and lipid center at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, there may be medical, occupational, or personal reasons to test elsewhere. For example:

• Frequent finger pricks can be painful.
• The fingers can become calloused and make the process more challenging.
• An adequate sample can be difficult to get from a finger stick.
• You may want to avoid finger sticks if you work with your hands.

The good news? “Using alternate sites allows the fingers to heal so you can use them again in the future,” says Nicole M. Bereolos, PhD, MPH, CDCES, a certified diabetes care and education specialist and a spokesperson for the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists (ADCES).

Here’s what to know about blood sugar monitoring without the need to prick your finger.

• Earlobe
• Upper arm
• Forearm
• Palm
• Thigh
• Calf
• Heel

On the other hand, “your device is only compatible with certain testing sites, so be sure to check the device information to know which sites are approved for testing,” advises Deena Adimoolam, MD, a specialist in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism based in New Jersey.

“And if you’re switching testing sites, you may need to adjust the depth of the lancet,” says Dr. Siegel.

“To help ensure accuracy, you also need to get a large enough sample for your meter, which can take some practice at alternative sites,” says Dr. Bereolos.

While alternative blood sugar testing sites are generally okay to use, there may be times when you need to revert to the gold standard finger-stick method. “Alternative sites have similar accuracy when blood sugars are stable — however, if there’s a rapid change in blood sugar and it’s going very high or low, the alternative site might not be as accurate compared with the finger,” says Dr. Adimoolam.

• You just took insulin.
• You’re sick.
• You’re under stress.
• You just exercised.
• You just ate.
• You think your blood sugar level could be low.
• You’re not always aware when your blood sugar level drops very low.
• Your readings don’t align with how you’re feeling.
• In these cases, a finger prick is necessary to determine the most accurate reading.

• Confirm your testing schedule. “You might not need to check as often if your recent HbA1C is at goal,” says Adimoolam.
• Upgrade your lancets. These tiny needles used to draw blood are available in newer models that may result in less pain or soreness.
• Replace lancets frequently. Reusing lancets can make them dull, which can make finger pricks more painful.
• Try new test strips. Newer options may require smaller amounts of blood, so you may not have to prick your finger as deeply to get an adequate sample as you do with older test strip types.
• Use gravity. According to Siegel, dropping your hand before you test can help optimize blood flow.
• Warm up. Run your fingers under warm water to bring more blood to the fingertips, says Adimoolam.
• Prick the sides of your fingertips. There are more nerve endings in the middle, so testing on the sides may be less painful.
• Alternate fingers. Adimoolam advises switching it up occasionally to make finger pricks less painful.
• Harness the power of positivity. “Mind over matter can make a difference,” says Bereolos. “Remind yourself that this is part of your diabetes management and that you’re doing something positive for yourself, even if it is slightly uncomfortable.”

If you’re still experiencing painful testing, talk to your doctor or diabetes educator to brainstorm other solutions.

A CGM is a device you can wear on your body that monitors your blood sugar levels in real time. It’s a blood-free alternative to finger pricks that offers more accurate data on your blood sugar levels over time. A CGM does this by sampling the glucose in interstitial fluid — the fluid in the spaces around cells — every five minutes or so.

But a CGM doesn’t mean you’ll never need to prick your fingertips again. “If the CGM shows a number that’s very high or very low, it’s still recommended to confirm it with a glucometer,” says Siegel.

• The finger stick is the gold standard for testing your blood sugar levels when you have diabetes.
• Besides the fingertips, you can test your blood sugar with a sample from your earlobe, arm, palm, thigh, calf, or heel — as long as your device is compatible with these alternative testing sites.
• There may still be times when a finger stick is required for reading accuracy, like after you take insulin, when you’re sick or stressed, or directly after you eat or exercise. But there are steps you can take to make this process less painful.
• You can also talk to your doctor about using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to provide regular, accurate readings and track them over time.