finger pricking

Status
Not open for further replies.
SilentAssassin1642

SilentAssassin1642

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
This is something I should know, having had this for nigh on 14 years. BUT, I have never ever been told this and even now I've only started doing it thanks to being here.

Finger pricking - what's the problem with using the pads? Does it cause nerve damage and could it cause maybe neruopathy? Could it have been the cause of my tingles this morning or was that down to high levels?

:confused:

I was never ever told the reasons behind using the sides, and even now I find using the sides hurts more :( I blame my bad care whilst growing up, my hospitals were rubbish.
 
i was always told to avoid the tips because of the nerves in the end. not to bring out the horror stories, but did you know that the alternative site testing kit was designed by a pianist who lost the feeling in the tips of his fingers due to testing in them so frequently?
 
There are more nerves in the pads - so if you keep using them - you risk causing damage to them - numbness etc - I am not certain that it causes neuropathy - but I know its frowned upon at clinic. Use the sides only and try to give any sore fingers a rest. If the sides hurt - turn the pricker down a notch or two.🙂Bev
 
I was just told not to use the pads coz it HURT! lol always use the sides, can even use my thumb sometimes :D
 
Gotta add i have learnt something as never have been told this.

I reckon I have been hiding in a hole as since coming to this forum amm starting to question my level of care. Wouldn't mind but have been diabetic for 27 years!

Thanks for the information, you learn something new....B x
 
I was told it hurts less if you use the sides and you get a better blood drop. Also I was told to run my fingers under the hot tap for a few seconds to warm them as this also helps when drawing blood. Nothing about nerve damage though.
 
AlisonM said:
I was told it hurts less if you use the sides and you get a better blood drop. Also I was told to run my fingers under the hot tap for a few seconds to warm them as this also helps when drawing blood. Nothing about nerve damage though.
Click to expand...

i've seen people shaking their hands, and sometimes i rub mine together to get my circulation going.
 
amazing how some of us were never told about this...

makes me so mad 😡
 
I've used the tips and pads. I just found that the sides of the fingers hurt too much and are difficult to make bleed. Creature of habit me...
 
I knew this from being a nurse, but I don't think they teach students that these days, (I could be wrong) but whenever I have been in hospital students and some qualified have pricked my fingertips... I often run my fingers under warm water before I test.
 
When Ross was taught to do his tests a few weeks back he was told to stick to the sides and to avoid thumb and forefinger if at all possible. He was also told to rub or shake his hands first to get the circulation going and to prick on the lowest number possible to get blood (he does 2) and then to squeeze his finger.

I really hope the new developments in testing which don't involve finger pricking hurry up and get on the market.

H
 
I was told it was better to use the side of the finger, but when I attended the walk in centre a couple of months back the 2 nurses and 1 Dr I saw all used my finger tip and had the lancer set to mega bleed.
 
margie said:
I was told it was better to use the side of the finger, but when I attended the walk in centre a couple of months back the 2 nurses and 1 Dr I saw all used my finger tip and had the lancer set to mega bleed.
Click to expand...

Yes! They're vicious! When I was in hospital they used the pad and 'standard' lancets that almost drove through to the other side 😱
 
I was told by dsn to always use sides, but do hurt now, i find when just had bath or shower they hurt well more, when first started , couldint get any blood now realley easy?😱
 
When I was first diagnosed and got sent on the education day I was told do it as near to the nail as possible and don't milk the finger for blood, and also to rotate the fingers. SInce my fingers wont rotate I use a different one each time and if anyone else is around when I want to test I ask them to do the other hand for me to give the one I normally use a rest.
 
I only got proper advice recently as well - seems like if you don't ask they forget to tell you!

Run under warm water if you find it hard to get the blood flowing

If that is not convenient, gently rub the side of the finger to be pricked from the base to tip

Only use the sides - but don't forget each finger has two sides (although getting to the reverse side I find a bit tricky!)

Do rotate fingers or risk callouses forming

Press the pad of the finger to be pricked with the thumb of the same hand to force the blood into the sides - try avoid having to squeeze the blood out after pricking as then it takes longer to stop

With the newer meters, like my Contour, they need much less blood so I do find using the reverse side of the finger a bit easier - would have had the blood running everywhere with my old Advantage- it needed quite a bit to get it going!
 
Last edited:
Yes to all of the above. We've been told not to use forefinger and thumb, because they're the most used digits. So of course you don't want them to get sore.
 
I'm interested - when people say they use the 'sides' of their fingers what do they mean exactly? I use the sides of the pads, i.e. not the middle of the pads, but what would be the outer edge of your fingerprint. I seem to have got into the habit of using only my little fingers, mostly the one on my right hand as I'm left-handed. I worked out the other day that I've done about 4,000 tests since diagnosis. My fingers are sore and getting a little calloused so might have to try different ones for a few months. Sometimes the non-pricked fingers feel sore in sympathy!😱
 
I use the middle of my pads and also my thumb, but i was told not to but then again i get the most blood from my thumb.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top