If you've ever tried a blood sugar test that requires a fingerprick to get a blood sample, you'll know how painful it can be. There's the initial pain from the prick, but then the reminder pain every time you try and use that fingertip while it heals.

Now imagine having to do that regularly, even multiple times a day, and you can see how uncomfortable of a process it becomes. So thankfully, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a much less painful alternative for regular and long-term monitoring, if for example, you have diabetes and need to test a dozen times each day.

It's a device called FreeStyle Libre developed by health company Abbott. The video below explains how it works.

So rather than lots of fingerpricks, you have to do one on the back of an arm to fit the sensor under your skin. After that, reading your blood sugar is as simple as waving the reader over the sensor and a new reading will flash up. There are two caveats, though. First, the sensor is only good for 10 days, and second, accurate readings won't happen for the first 12 hours after applying the sensors. Even so, it's much better than fingerpricks.

As Reuters reports, Abbott intends to launch FreeStyle Libre before the end of 2017 in the US. Right now, you can get a FreeStyle Libre Pro which allows testing for up to 14 days. However, it can only be fitted with the help of a physician. That's the other benefit of the new FreeStyle Libre: it can be fitted by the wearer in the comfort of their own home.

Unfortunately, pricing has yet to be revealed. It's the sensor cost that's most important as the reader should end up being a one-off, reusable purchase.