How To Measure Blood Sugar Levels

 Measuring blood sugar

Measuring blood sugar is something that someone with diabetes should do regularly and on an ongoing basis. People with diabetes have blood sugar levels that are too high (but can also drop, causing the sugar level to suddenly become much too low). This is unhealthy and dangerous, but fortunately, it can be easily compensated by administering extra insulin. For anyone who wants to know whether he/she does not have diabetes or is developing diabetes (the so-called pre-diabetes), it is useful to measure blood sugar. This can be done at your doctor's clinic or at home.

Measure blood sugar at home

Measuring blood sugar at home is possible in several ways. You can measure your sugar yourself and immediately see whether your blood sugar level has a healthy value. For diabetes patients, measuring a value that is too high or too low means that they can take immediate action to bring the value back to the right level. If you are not a diabetic, you are going to measure your blood sugar and if it shows an abnormal value, then it is wise to contact your doctor. That could be an indication of other complications. A high blood sugar level is an indication of diabetes (starting), blood sugar.

For a long time, measuring blood sugar was done in a way that many people were familiar with: by puncturing. By pricking a small amount of blood and applying a drop of blood to an analysis strip, a special meter can read the blood sugar value. This is still a commonly used method to measure blood sugar at home.

Measuring blood sugar without stinging

Today, however, it can also be different. This way you can measure blood sugar without stinging, using a new generation of meters. These meters can measure blood sugar using light. So it is not necessary to prick. You can measure the values ​​yourself without the need for blood. This is a big improvement, especially for children, who often find stinging scary.

Measuring blood sugar with smartphone

Did you know that measuring blood sugar levels nowadays can even be done without a standalone device? You can measure your blood sugar with a smartphone. By connecting a special, compact device to your smartphone, the measured values ​​can be displayed by your phone.

When should you measure blood sugar?

Measuring blood sugar is a necessity for diabetics. It is dangerous to have a high blood sugar level. It can result in thirst, a dry tongue, having to urinate a lot, fatigue, sleepiness, a lot of itching, inflammation, becoming weaker, drowsiness, difficult (fast and/or deep) breathing, dehydration, vomiting, unconsciousness, falling into a coma and in the most extreme cases even death.

Diabetic people should measure their blood sugar frequently in a day to see that their blood sugar level is not too high. If you are not diabetics, still you have to measure your blood sugar level. In addition to measuring yourself, you can also contact your GP for this. It is wise for everyone to have this done once. That way you can rule out the possibility that you have or are developing diabetes. Between a normal blood sugar value and diabetes values, there is still an elevated value that may indicate that you are in the preliminary phase of diabetes. This pre-stage of diabetes is often reversible.

What if you measure too low a value?

A blood sugar level that is too low is called a hypo. A blood sugar level that is too high is called a hyper. We have already described the symptoms of this above. Low blood sugar is characterized by hunger, sweating, tremors, dizziness, palpitations, yawning, confusion, restlessness, tingling in hands, feet, or lips, blurred or double vision, headache or mood changes (suddenly angry, sad, or pleased).

If the value is too low, you can eat carbohydrate-rich foods. This produces glucose. Low blood sugar can happen to anyone, including people without diabetes. In severe cases, the drug glucagon can be taken.

If you do not have diabetes, start measuring your blood sugar level and the value is too low, this is not immediately a cause for concern. It can happen to anyone. Drink soda, and eat carbohydrate-rich foods. When you measure again fifteen minutes later, the value should already have increased. If not, you can try again an hour later. If the value has not yet risen or has not risen sufficiently, you should consult a doctor.

What if you measure too high a value?

If you are going to measure blood sugar and the value is too high, this indicates diabetes. Diabetes patients must inject extra insulin because the natural production of insulin is insufficient. This ensures that glucose in the blood cannot be absorbed sufficiently and therefore the blood sugar level becomes too high.