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Why is alternate site testing less painful?

Your fingertips, the key area for your sense of touch, are full of nerve endings (receptors), which make the fingertips feel pain more readily. Other body sites such as the forearm have fewer nerve endings per square inch than the fingertips, thus resulting in less pain. This can make alternate site testing with an approved meter virtually pain-free. A 2004 US diabetes patient market study showed that of patients who tested using alternative sites, seven in ten believe alternate site testing to be less painful. This graphic shows the concentration of nerve endings (receptors) in the fingertips vs. the forearm.

Alternate site testing offers the most test sites available and gives those who have occupations or hobbies that require extensive use of their fingers another option to fingertip testing.

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