For easy and comfortable blood glucose testing
To have blood glucose testing which is easy and comfortable, choose the lancing device which is right for you. Due to the fact that the number of blood tests have to be made in your daily diabetes management, user-friendly and painlessness are important considerations. So, below are some things to consider when choosing a lancing device suitable for you.
Lancing Device For Blood Glucose Monitoring – Video Guide
Lancing Devices – Types
Cam-driven and Spring-loaded lancing devices
- Cam-driven lancing devices:
In the cam-driven lancing device, a turning cam is used instead of a spring-loaded system. The device keeps some lancets in a rotating container and so have a number of lancets ready for future use. All that is needed is the rotation of the barrel to have a new lancet ready. However, a cam-driven lancing device is not to be used for alternative site testing. The lancets for cam-driven devices cannot fit into spring loaded devices. Although cam-driven devices cost more, approximately $30, they are longer lasting than spring-loaded ones.
- Spring-loaded lancing device:
This device is put against the skin before pressing a button to release the lancet. When the finger is pricked by the released lancet, a tiny blood specimen is obtained. The older type of lancing device, also known as a traditional lancing device, is cheap at less than $12. It can be used with most lancets. Many glucose meters are sold with traditional lancing devices. These lancing devices are also available at your local pharmacies.
There is another variation of this spring-loaded lancing device. It is suitable for alternate site testing which means the blood specimen can be obtained from another body part, usually the palm, thigh and forearm. These devices possess a certain kind of suction cap to get the skin of the site to be pulled a little upwards for ease of skin puncture. There are also lancing devices which can be both traditional as well as alternative testing devices.
Almost all spring-loaded and cam-driven devices possess depth setting that can be adjusted to have the penetration of the lancet needle into the skin suitable for the user and to lessen pain.