Today, we are going to share with you complete information about Diabetes Types Symptoms Management Treatment. Diabetes is a common disease. However, it is a disease in which your blood sugar or blood glucose, levels get too high. Basically, we take glucose from the foods we eat. However, Insulin is one of the hormones that assist the glucose to go into your cells and give them energy.
What is diabetes?
Basically, in diabetes, the pancreas (which is located behind the stomach) releases insulin to assist your body to use and store the fat and sugar from the food you eat.
In type 1 diabetes, the body does not make sufficient insulin. In type 2 diabetes, which is the more common type, the body does not use or make insulin well.
When you don’t have enough insulin, the glucose stays in your blood. In this way, your blood sugar is higher than normal. Having prediabetes sets you at a higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes.
Too much glucose in your blood can cause serious health problems. It can damage your kidneys, eyes, and nerves. It can also cause heart disease and stroke. Pregnant women can also be at a risk to get diabetes, called gestational diabetes.
Diabetes happen because of following issues:
- When insulin is not produced by the pancreas.
- In addition, when the very little amount of insulin is produced by the pancreas.
- When our body does not respond appropriately to insulin, a condition which is known as “insulin resistance”
Diabetes is a lifelong disease. Almost 18.2 million Americans have this disease. And approximately 41 million people have pre-diabetes. There is no cure for it. Patients with diabetes need to manage the disease to stay healthy and live a happy life.
Types of Diabetes
Diabetes is a metabolic disease that causes a high level of blood sugar. The insulin hormone basically moves sugar from the blood into the cells to be use or store for energy. In diabetes, the body either can’t effectively use the insulin or even doesn’t make enough insulin.
Following are types of diabetes:
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes occurs when the insulin-producing cells known as beta cells of the pancreas are destroyed because of the immune system. No insulin produces by people with type 1 diabetes.
They must use insulin injections to control their blood sugar level. Type 1 diabetes may occur at any age but most commonly starts in people under the age of 20.
Type 2 Diabetes
People with type 2 diabetes produce insulin. However, their pancreas doesn’t secrets enough insulin, or either the body is resistant to the insulin.
When there isn’t enough insulin or the insulin is not used as it should be, glucose can’t enter into the body’s cells. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form, almost 18 million Americans are affected by it.
However, it usually occurs in people above the age of 40 who are overweight, but it can also happen in people who are not overweight. People can manage their type 2 diabetes by watching their diet, exercising regularly, and also by controlling their weight.
But if they are unable to manage it, then take a pill that helps to use insulin better, or take insulin injections.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes occurs in pregnancy. Because in pregnancy hormone changes can affect insulin’s ability to work properly. The condition happens in just 4% of all pregnancies.
Pregnant women who are at increased risk of developing gestational diabetes are those who are above 25 years old, their body weight is above before pregnancy, and also have a family history of diabetes, Native American, Black or Asian.
Diagnosis of gestational diabetes performs during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes increases the risk of complications to both the unborn child and also mother.
Usually, blood sugar levels return to normal within 6-7 weeks of childbirth. However, those women who have had gestational diabetes are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
Diabetes Symptoms
The symptoms of type 1 diabetes can be severe and often occur suddenly. They include:
- Increased thirst
- Increased hunger
- Dry mouth
- Frequent urination
- Labored, heavy breathing
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue (tired and weak)
- Blurred vision
- Loss of consciousness
The symptoms of type 2 diabetes are somehow the same as type 1 diabetes. Some other symptoms include:
- Slow healing cuts or sores
- Numbness or tingling of the feet and hands
- Itching of the skin
- Yeast infections
- Recent weight gain
- Impotence or erectile dysfunction
How Is Diabetes Managed?
Most of the time diabetics patients can’t be cure by treatment but they can be controlled and managed.
- Keep your blood sugar levels normal by balancing diet, lifestyle, and medication.
- Maintain your blood cholesterol and lipid levels. You can control it by avoiding extra sugars and processed starches and also by decreasing saturated fat and cholesterol.
- Control your blood pressure. Try to keep your blood pressure in the range of 120/80.
Manage your diabetes by following these steps:
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- Follow a balanced meal plan.
- Exercising regularly
- Eat more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
- Try to eat smaller portions.
- Try to lose weight if you are overweight
- Taking medicine properly at a given time, if prescribed.
- Monitor your blood pressure and blood sugar levels at home.
Treatment of diabetes
There are different medications to treat diabetes. Most of these drugs are taken orally, while others are taken by injections.
Type 1 diabetes
For type 1 diabetes insulin is the main treatment. It normalizes the hormone your body isn’t able to produce.
There are 4 types of insulin that are commonly use. They’re differentiated by how long their effects last and how quickly they start to work:
- Rapid-acting insulin effects last for 3 to 4 hours and begin to work within 15 minutes.
- Short-acting insulin effects lasts 6-8 hours and begins to work within 30 minutes.
- Intermediate-acting insulin lasts for 12-18 hours and begins to work within 1 to 2 hours.
- Long-acting insulin effects last for 1day and begin to work a few hours after injection.
Type 2 diabetes
Exercise and diet can help some patients to manage type 2 diabetes. If it doesn’t work enough to lower your blood sugar, then you should take medication. These medications lower your blood sugar in different ways. You may need to take more than one of these medicines. Type 2 diabetes people should also take insulin.
Gestational diabetes
During pregnancy, in a single day, you should need to monitor your blood sugar level several times. If it’s high, exercise and dietary changes may or may not be enough to bring it normally.
According to the research, about 10-20 % of women with gestational diabetes will need insulin to lower their blood sugar. However Insulin is not harmful for the growing baby.
