An open prospective randomised trial to reduce the pain of blood glucose testing: ear versus thumb
Blood samples taken from the earlobe are less painful for patients than those taken from the thumb, suggests a study in this week's BMJ.
Carley and colleagues from Hope Hospital in Salford obtained blood from either the thumb or the earlobe of 60 patients attending a hospital emergency department. Once the blood was obtained, the level of pain was measured using a recognised scoring method. The pain scores clearly show that skin puncture of the earlobe is less painful than that of the thumb. The reason for the difference, say the authors, is unclear. However, they suggest that the density of pain receptors may be lower in the ear than in the thumb, or that less pain is perceived as the patient cannot see the ear being tested.
The authors conclude that further research may be needed to assess the impact of repeat testing at the same site on patients who require frequent blood monitoring. As blood glucose testing is one of the most commonly performed procedures in clinical practice, these findings will benefit healthcare professionals at all levels.
Contact:
Simon D Carley, Specialist Registrar in Emergency Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester M13 9WL Email: s.carley@btinternet.com