Having diabetes means you frequently need to monitor your blood sugar levels. Which means frequent pricks on fingers. And that is really painful if you have to do it on daily basis. But thankfully technology has the solution for this also. Nowadays continuous glucose monitoring and fitness apps are available to keep track of blood sugar as well as lifestyle. And that too without finger ticks.
Can technology solve the hassle that comes with diabetes? If yes, then what technology is best for maintaining blood sugar? You will get all the answers to these questions.
Different technologies that are available for tracking blood sugar
- Glucometer
- Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)
- Insulin pumps and medication pens
- Apps for lifestyle tracking
Glucometer
Traditional method of glucose monitoring
Although it is not the best technology for maintaining blood sugar but the very basic you need to have. Even if you have other devices for checking blood sugar, it is one of the most important that you must have. No wonder if you are using glucometer already and still looking for what technology is best for maintaining blood sugar.
About the device
- This device includes one meter and one strip
- Insert the strip into the slot
- Prick your finger with a needle
- Pour one drop of blood on the outer end of the strip
- And wait for the reading on the meter (gives you results within 5 seconds)
Advantages
- Easy and economical
- Gives results in no time
- More accurate than other options
Disadvantages
- Frequent finger ticks are tiring and painful.
Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)
A device to track your sugar throughout the day
This is the right device if you are looking for what technology is best for maintaining blood sugar. First version of CGM which works without finger pricks came in September 2017. Now CGM monitors the blood sugar throughout the day in every 5-10 minutes. Which as a result helps in better managing your diet and lifestyle. Some examples of CGM are Dexcom G5, Medtronic, FreeStyle Libre.
About the device
- CGM comes with one sensor and one receiver
- Sensor electrode is to be placed under the skin of belly or arm
- Sensor monitors the blood glucose level at every 5-10 minutes and sends the data to the receiver (where it shows the reading)
- CGM gives an alarm when sugar is too low or too high so that immediate intervention can be done. And sugar can be maintained into the target range.
- Along with a CGM, you still need a glucometer, because when CGM gives an alarm you will need to double-check it with a glucometer to confirm the reading.
- Sensor need to be changed between 10-14 days.
Advantages
- Some CGMs send the data to smartphones from where all the variations in the sugar level can be observed easily
- Alarms you when sugar is too low or too high
- Physical activity, meals, and medicines can be noted along with the respective glucose levels (hence better sugar maintenance)
- All the data of sugar variations can be saved on a smartphone or CPU
Disadvantages
- Costly
- Accuracy is still in processing (researchers are trying to reach a better accuracy rate)
Insulin pumps and medication pens
One of the answers to what technology is best for maintaining blood sugar.
Glucose monitoring devices is not the only answer to the question, what technology best for maintaining blood sugar. Other than sugar monitoring, insulin injections are another essential part of diabetes management. Especially if you are in insulin therapy. These technological devices help to inject insulin very easily and proportionately.
Insulin pumps
Delivers insulin 24hrs, through a catheter that will be inserted under the skin.
Medication pens
They allow easy injection of medication, so that patient can do it themselves without any medical assistance.
Advantage
- Prevents frequent hospital visits
Fitness tracking apps
Various fitness tracking apps are available, to have a guide on your smartphone who can save your sugar level data, and suggest you diet and exercises routine according to your health status. Some of the fitness app with their features are mentioned below. You can pick what you need.
MyFitnessPal
- Gives you food related advice on the basis of your sugar level
- Gives you exercise advice on the basis of your fitness level
Glucose Zone
- Fitness tracking and exercise advice
Loselt
- Diet-related modifications and suggestions.
Advantages
- Better management of your diet and exercises. Without requiring any professional guidance
- Saves your hospital visits and money spent on professionals
Disadvantage
- You have to feed the data about sugar levels in case your app is not connected to glucometer or CGM.
Wind-up
Although glucometer is the traditional way of monitoring, the sugar levels. It is economic as well. But it comes with a major disadvantage of frequent pricks on fingers, which is really painful for people suffering from diabetes. So, as researchers are trying to improve the accuracy of CGM, over the time CGM is going to be the answer to what technology is best for maintaining blood sugar.
On the other side, gone are the days of injecting insulin via the traditional method, using syringes for measuring as well as injecting the insulin. Nowadays insulin pumps and medication pens have replaced the previous traditional way of injecting insulin.
