Did you know that 34.2 million people in America Blood have diabetes? If you are one of these people, blood sugar monitoring is essential to monitoring your diabetes.
Keep reading to learn more about blood sugar monitoring, different glucose blood tests, and diabetes.
What is Diabetes?
The health condition of diabetes affects how well your body turns sugar, or glucose, into energy.
Normally, when you consume food, your body produces insulin that allows your body to use blood sugar for energy. However, having diabetes means that your body is either unable to use insulin or does not produce enough of it.
What Is Blood Sugar Monitoring?
Blood sugar monitoring is a way to help manage your diabetes. You can track your treatment progress and see what changes need to be made.
Through monitoring, you can track your blood sugar, see how different medications affect your blood sugar levels, and see the effects of exercise and diet changes.
There are different ways to monitor your blood sugar.
Common ways include testing through a blood sugar meter that reads your results instantly, through a continuous blood glucose monitor, and through lab tests collected by professionals.
Using a blood sugar test shows your blood sugar range. For adults who do not have diabetes, a normal blood sugar range while fasting is 77-99mg/dL, and for people who do have diabetes, a normal blood sugar range while fasting is 80-130mg/dL.
Risk Factors of Not Monitoring Your Blood Sugar
Monitoring your blood sugar through blood sugar testing helps you control and manage your diabetes. If left unmonitored and uncontrolled, your blood sugar can drop suddenly.
This is known as hypoglycemia. Low blood sugar can make you faint, have seizures, or even go into a coma.
Diabetes that is not managed can also cause eye problems such as the following:
- cataracts
- macular edema
- glaucoma
- diabetic retinopathy
High blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, is also a risk of unmonitored and unregulated blood sugar. Symptoms of high blood sugar include increased thirst and frequent urination.
High blood sugar can result in a condition called ketoacidosis, which is when your body is unable to use sugar to fuel your body because it does not have enough insulin.
Neuropathy is another risk associated with high blood sugar. Neuropathy is nerve damage that can cause numbness, tingling sensation, burning sensation, and pain.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Low and High Blood Sugar?
The signs and symptoms of low and high blood sugar vary from case to case. Some common signs and symptoms of low blood sugar include:
- feeling tired and weak
- dizziness
- sweating
- anxiety
- shaking
- increased heart rate
- irritability
- extreme feeling of hunger
Common signs and symptoms of high blood sugar include:
- nausea
- extreme feeling of hunger
- extreme feeling of thirst
- blurry vision
- drowsiness
- increase in urination
If you experience high or low blood sugar symptoms, you need to test your blood sugar.
Being able to recognize the signs and symptoms of high and low blood sugar can help you make corrections to your treatment to avoid serious complications.
How Is Diabetes Diagnosed?
Diabetes is diagnosed by checking your blood sugar levels through a blood test. The glucose blood test will indicate if your blood sugar readings are abnormal.
There are certain percentages of the population that are at a higher risk of being diagnosed with diabetes.
People who have a family history of diabetes, are inactive or overweight, or have high blood sugar are more likely to have diabetes.
The Lab Tests to Screen, Diagnose, and Monitor Blood Sugar
Ulta Lab Tests offers a variety of lab tests for screening, diagnosing, and monitoring blood sugar levels.
Lab tests that screen for abnormal blood sugar levels include:
Lab tests that are used to diagnose diabetes include:
There are also glucose blood tests that help you monitor your blood sugar. These include:
Once you have chosen what type of test you want to take, simply order it, have your blood drawn at one of our 2100 approved patient service centers across the country, and review your results online.
Frequently Asked Questions About Glucose Blood Tests
Monitoring your blood sugar does not have to be complicated. Here are a few frequently asked questions and their answers.
How Do I Prepare for My Test?
Typically, the individual tests do not require special preparations. However, you may be required to fast beforehand. You will be notified of any special instructions.
What Should I Do if I Receive an Abnormal Test Result?
If you receive an abnormal test result, you should discuss the result with a doctor. Although an abnormal result is something you should evaluate further, it does not mean that you have a condition or disorder.
What Time of Day Should I Test My Blood Sugar?
Your blood sugar normally fluctuates during the day because of a variety of reasons. Good times to test your blood sugar for a more accurate reading are before meals.
Do I Need to Keep Taking My Medication Before Testing?
Yes, you should always take any medications prescribed by your doctor. However, if there are any special instructions, you will be notified.
Benefits of Glucose Blood Tests and Blood Sugar Monitoring
There are many benefits of blood sugar testing and monitoring. One of the main benefits is that you take control of your health.
Glucose blood tests can show you if you need to make lifestyle changes or manage your blood sugar through medication.
Another benefit is that blood tests and monitoring offer you peace of mind. You won't have to wonder what your blood sugar levels are, and you won't have to worry about them.
We at Ulta Lab Tests offer you a way to understand and manage your health in a convenient and affordable way. Ulta Lab Tests offers tests that are highly accurate and reliable so you can make informed decisions about your health.
- Secure and confidential results
- No insurance is needed
- No doctor's referral required
- Affordable pricing
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
Order your blood sugar monitoring lab tests today and your results will be provided to you securely and confidentially online in 24 to 48 hours for most tests.
Take control of your health today with Ulta Lab Tests.
