Virtually Painfree Testing Alternate Testing Sites Why is Alternate Site Testing Less Painful? When is Testing on the Finger Preferred? How Do I Perform Alternate Test Site Testing? Virtually Painfree Testing - Why is Alternate Site Testing Less Painful? Your fingertips are full of nerve endings (receptors), which make the fingertips feel pain more readily. Other body sites such as the forearm have fewer nerve endings per square inch than the fingertips, thus resulting in less pain. This can make alternate site testing with our meters Virtually Pain-Free. A 2004 US diabetes patient market study showed that of patients who tested using alternative sites, seven in ten believe alternate site testing to be less painful.