How To Set Up A Lancet

For someone recently diagnosed with diabetes, it may be overwhelming to think well-nigh all the devices and supplies used to manage diabetes. As you learn about these materials, you also might observe that the terms used are disruptive -- some terms are very similar but have different meanings and uses, and some are terms you may have never heard until now.

And so, allow'southward start with a couple of simple definitions:

• A lancet is a pocket-sized needle in a molded piece of plastic that is used to puncture the pare for a blood sample (an action sometimes referred to as "prick", "finger prick" or "finger stick"). The needle is very small and thin, but merely big enough for a drop of blood to be drawn. Lancets can exist used solitary or with a lancing device.

• A lancing device is used with a lancet to help brand the pricking process easier and less painful.

More About Lancing Devices and Lancets

Most lancing devices look similar a broad pen with a punch on the end. The lancing device holds the lancet, and when you press the trigger or push, the device speedily deploys the lancet to prick the peel. The lancing device makes sure the prick is the same every time, and tin exist adjusted to change the depth in which the lancet goes into your skin.

Lancing devices tin be either cam-driven or spring-loaded. The difference between the two is in the way the mechanical operation works. In a cam-driven lancing device, a turning cam is used to load a lancet. Cam-driven lancets agree several lances, so y'all simply rotate the barrel to load a new lancet. Cam-driven devices are only used to prick your finger and are not suitable for use on other parts of your body, i.e. alternate site testing.

Bound-loaded lancing devices utilise an internal spring to deploy the lancet. A lancet is loaded into the device for each apply. Variations of the spring-loaded lancing device can be used on other parts of your body similar the palm of your hand, thigh, or forearm (check your lancing device transmission to see if it has been approved for alternate site testing). Some spring-loaded devices used on other parts of your body tin can likewise use a suction cup to pull up your skin slightly before the lancet is released.

Because there are different types of lancing devices, not all lancets fit in every device. Always read the instructions for your lancing device to understand which lancets will work with your device. Although some people reuse lancets, information technology is all-time to replace them after each utilise to reduce the risk of infection and ensure y'all get a good reading from your test.

Using a Lancing Device

All lancing devices are a bit dissimilar, so make sure you lot read the directions for your lancing device before you utilise information technology.

The steps for using a lancing device are adequately quick and like shooting fish in a barrel:

1. Offset wash your hands to decrease your risk of infection.

2. And so remove the cap from your lancing device and either turn the cam to load a lancet (cam-driven device) or manually load a lancet (spring-loaded device).

3. Adjust the lancing device to the depth you want.

4. When you are ready to prick your pare, printing the lancing device to your finger, and printing the button to trigger the lancet to prick your skin.

So, what happens if you lot can't get enough blood from your finger?

First attempt gently squeezing claret toward the location of the puncture.

If that doesn't do the flim-flam, endeavor adjusting the lancing device to increment the depth in which the lancet goes into your skin.

You lot can as well endeavor washing your hand showtime with warm water or hanging your hand down beside yous before using the lancing device.

If you are reusing a lancet, it might be too ho-hum to effectively prick, which is just 1 of many reasons we don't recommend reusing lancets.

What happens later on I prick my skin and become a blood sample?

The drop of blood you draw with a lancet and lancing device is ultimately used to determine if your blood sugar levels are inside your target range. Your exact target range is often specific to y'all and your health intendance provider will help you lot determine what your target range should be, though in that location are full general ranges that most people with and without diabetes will fall into at certain times of the day and after certain activities like eating or sleeping.

So, how does that work? A blood glucose meter, also known as a glucometer, paired with a test strip are what you use to check your blood sample for your claret saccharide level.

To check your blood sugar, y'all'll insert a new test strip into the blood glucose meter and apply your blood sample (after using the lancing device). The test strip has a capillary that pulls your blood sample into the strip, and an enzyme on the strip mixes with your blood and then that the glucose meter tin can measure the sugar in your blood. The test strip enzyme is very sensitive, so brand sure y'all proceed your examination strips away from heat, cold, moisture or direct sunlight.

As you can imagine, the test strips are very important to the process, and you desire to make sure the test strips are good earlier y'all use them. Yous can do this by checking the beginning strip in each new batch with control solution to make sure the balance of the batch of test strips will requite accurate readings on your blood glucose meter.

The control solution is specific to your meter, and then make sure y'all take the right solution before yous begin. Ordinarily, there are ii-3 different levels of control solution so that you lot can test for accuracy at depression, normal, and loftier glucose levels, but yous don't accept to utilize all three each time -- one is generally enough, and typically, if the beginning test is good, they are all adept.

Are all lancets the same?

Lancets might look very like, simply they are not all the same. The main differences are needle gauge size, and whether or not they are self-contained.

You lot can determine the size of the need by the gauge number: the higher the gauge number, the smaller and thinner the needle.

Wait, what? Did I read that right?

Yep, college gauge numbers mean smaller, thinner needles! Smaller needles tend to cause less hurting, but the smallest needle may not work for you if you take thick or rough skin. Yous might need to effort unlike size needles to detect the size that works all-time for you. A lancing device allows y'all to use a smaller needle because the device allows you to adjust the depth of the prick.

Information technology's your personal option whether to use a lancet lonely or with a lancing device. You can effort both methods and decide what is all-time for you.

Questions to enquire yourself when you try each method include:

• Which method is easier for me to use?

• Which method gives me the virtually consistent manner to go the blood sample I need?

• Which method practise I similar all-time, even if I can't quite draw why?

For people who want a more than automated approach, a lancing device is a good selection. The lancing device can take the stress out of pricking your finger because it is easy to utilize and provides a consequent puncture to your skin. Y'all simply insert the lancet into the lancing device, press it to your finger, and press a button. Y'all can and then use your claret glucose meter to test your blood sugar level. The results of the blood check requite you data you tin utilize in managing your diabetes.

For more than resource to assist you get started on your diabetes journey, click here to check out Diathrive'due south wealth of resources. Good luck!

---

Sources:

Alternate Site Glucose Monitoring: A Welcome Respite | American Diabetes Association

Taking the Sting Out of Fingersticks: Lancets, Life Hacks and More | Diatribe

Choosing a Lancing Device | American Diabetes Association

Lancets & Lancing Devices For Diabetes: Read This Before Yous Purchase | The Diabetes Council

Medical Definition of Lancing device | Medicine Internet

Source: https://diathrive.com/blog/post/lancing-device-what-it-and-how-use-it

Share this post