Does anybody know why they prick in the part of the finger used for touching? This seems like one of the most sensitive parts of the human body.

I've tried my arm and other spots, but I think the fingertip hurts the least. The anticipation is always worse than the prick, and I rarely have any tenderness afterward.

According to Dr. Bernstein, the fingertips show an immediate response to changes in blood sugar. I lent the book out or I'd provide the full explanation he gave.

As a type I diabetic, I use both my forearm and my finger tip for testing. While I find both to be almost painless (admittedly I may have built up a tolerance) arm does hurt slightly less, and more importantly, does not callus like the finger tip. However, in times of rapid blood sugar fluctuation, arms are delayed by about 10-20 minutes, where as fingers are not.

Interesting, I assumed the delay would be more like a few seconds or half a minute at most.

Still, why not do it on the side of the finger? It has to be as updated as the tip, but it has a lot less nerve endings.

Sides hurt (me) more. Don't ask why, no idea. I know some doctors suggest the sides, for that exact reason however.