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Which Finger?

dtennant9

dtennant9

Well-Known Member
Messages
715
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Obviously as a Type 1 I test my BG quite a lot.

I always knew to not use my pinky or thumb for blood testing, however I read today that it should be the 2nd and 3rd fingers that are used and not the index finger.

Is there a reason for this?

I also seem to struggle with one side of each finger to get any blood out, seems to be an ongoing issue for me.
 
dtennant9 said:
Obviously as a Type 1 I test my BG quite a lot.

I always knew to not use my pinky or thumb for blood testing, however I read today that it should be the 2nd and 3rd fingers that are used and not the index finger.

Is there a reason for this?

I also seem to struggle with one side of each finger to get any blood out, seems to be an ongoing issue for me.
Click to expand...
Wow, I have actually never heard before that there were some fingers that you should not (could not?) use for finger pricking?
The general 'best practice' has been these:
finger-pick-technique-1.jpg

But clinically you can equally well use all 5. All have more or less same blood flow, and in any case sufficient to give you same level of bg accuracy reading. The guidance on which to use and how was more for your personal convenience and general comfort.
Thumb and index have more nerve endings than the other 3, reason why they in average will give more pain signals if used. While the remaining three have same neurologic connectivity. Next to this, then the finger end pads are also with more nerve endings and capillaries offering more blood than needed and may be more challenging to quickly heal up as result without using a patch. Reason why general advice has been to use the two sides of the three remaining fingers.

Your reason why pinky cannot join the daily Dracula party?
 
My sister was diagnosed in France. They told her never to use her index fingers. She might need them later for reading Braille
 
I use them all except thumbs, don't know why, that's just the way it happens.
I should try using them just to spread the load.
Pinky always gives the most blood.
 
Thanks for your replies, maybe it is just from a pain point of view. I've never had much issues with pain from my index fingers. I do think I am going to have to start getting more flexible and using both sides of my fingers as the sides I use have started to get a lot of hard skin on them from using the same ones so much.
 
Well, you learn something every day!

I've been using the pad of my thumb for years now. That's how I was told to do it by my Diabetes Nurse. It doesn't seem to have affected me as my blood tests are always generally in line with my HbA1c and I don't appear to have any damage to my thumb.
 
The most gross thing I ever read on this subject was on this board where a DN said to a patient, "You don't want to do that too often since you will need them when you go blind".

Blessem.
 
scottish-jim said:
Well, you learn something every day!

I've been using the pad of my thumb for years now. That's how I was told to do it by my Diabetes Nurse. It doesn't seem to have affected me as my blood tests are always generally in line with my HbA1c and I don't appear to have any damage to my thumb.
Click to expand...

I don't know if there is any specific reason, it's just the nerve endings issue. I seem to remember my DSN saying to not use my thumb when I was diagnosed.

Celsus said:
Your reason why pinky cannot join the daily Dracula party?
Click to expand...

Just don't like the thought of stabbing my poor wee pinky :D
 
RuthW said:
My sister was diagnosed in France. They told her never to use her index fingers. She might need them later for reading Braille
emoji53.png
Click to expand...
Having broken the tip of my index finger of my left hand many moons ago and not had good feeling in it since then, I guess I'll finger prick it anyway and never read braille...
 
RuthW said:
My sister was diagnosed in France. They told her never to use her index fingers. She might need them later for reading Braille
Click to expand...
**** those cynical and rude care providers! :mad:
 
I can perhaps understand not using thumbs and index fingers as these are the ones we probably use the most for precision handling of things, so could cause the most hassle if we ever did do any damage to the nerves.

I've never understood about using the sides and not the pads, as it's the sides that hurt me the most...:( Being left handed I nearly always use my right hand fingers for pricking and certainly my little finger is the most prolific blood wise...and possibly the one I use least of all for everything else.

Robbity
 
Robbity said:
I can perhaps understand not using thumbs and index fingers as these are the ones we probably use the most for precision handling of things, so could cause the most hassle if we ever did do any damage to the nerves.

I've never understood about using the sides and not the pads, as it's the sides that hurt me the most...:( Being left handed I nearly always use my right hand fingers for pricking and certainly my little finger is the most prolific blood wise...and possibly the one I use least of all for everything else.

Robbity
Click to expand...
with you there, sides are hellish for me and pads more or less pain free.... since reading this thread I've tried sides and finding blood is hard to come by and sore for some times afterwards.....:arghh:
 
So I've gone back to sides for a couple of days and finding that I need to give it the Full Monty to get any blood... and lordie is it sore for sometime afterwards....
Going to have to rethink this.
:wideyed:
 
I test the edge of the palm of my hand- clench your fist, you will notice the edge of the palm of your hand will engorge with blood, test anywhere around here, usually painless and just as accurate given there is often a variation in results between fingers and hands anyway.
 
Daft advice if you are older since it’s difficult for an adult to learn braille anyway due to not having the high sensitivity of a young person.

RuthW said:
My sister was diagnosed in France. They told her never to use her index fingers. She might need them later for reading Braille
Click to expand...
 
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