Glucose (blood sugar) is our brain's main source of fuel and is also an important source of energy for the cells that make up our muscles and tissues. The disease diabetes mellitus refers to a group of disorders that affect how our body uses glucose. An excess of sugar in our blood can lead to serious health problems no matter what type of diabetes we have.
Depending on the underlying cause, diabetes varies by type. Life-altering chronic diabetes conditions include type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. There are possibly reversible diabetes conditions which include prediabetes, which can happen when your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. There is also gestational diabetes which can happen during pregnancy but may resolve after the birth of the child.
Patients with type 2 diabetes are said to have insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes is a lifelong disease that prevents your body from using insulin the right way. Type 2 is the most common type of diabetes and there are about 27 million people in the U.S. with type 2. It is estimated that about 8 million people who have type 2 diabetes do not know it as the symptoms of it can be so mild you do not notice them.
Some symptoms of type 2 diabetes include yeast infections that keep coming back, wounds that do not heal, feeling worn out, tingling or numbness in your hands or feet, being cranky a lot, being very thirsty, peeing a lot and blurry vision. Men with diabetes may have a decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction (ED), and poor muscle strength in addition to the general symptoms of diabetes. Some women with diabetes can also have symptoms such as urinary tract infections, yeast infections, and dry, itchy skin.
By way of comparison the exact cause of type 1 diabetes is not known, though we do know that your immune system — which normally fights harmful bacteria or viruses — attacks and destroys your insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. When that happens it leaves you with little or no insulin and instead of being transported into your cells, sugar builds up in your bloodstream. While weight is not believed to be a factor in type 1 diabetes,type 1 is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental factors, though exactly what those factors are is still unclear.
It is of the utmost importance to get medical treatment for these conditions as untreated high blood sugar from diabetes can damage your nerves, eyes, kidneys, and other organs. Diabetes may also cause recurring infections because elevated glucose levels make it harder for the body to heal. Time is a real factor as the higher your blood sugar is and the longer you live with it the greater your risk for complications.
The treatment for diabetes depends on many factors and diet and exercise can help some people manage type 2 diabetes, but If lifestyle changes are not enough to lower your blood sugar, you will need to take medication. Different medications are used by doctors and some of these drugs are taken by mouth while others are available as injections. For type 1 diabetes the main treatment is insulin as insulin replaces the hormone your body is not able to produce. Thiazolidinediones help insulin work better while Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors slow your body’s breakdown of sugars and starchy foods.
You cannot treat diabetes, a serious disease, on your own. A diabetes treatment plan that is right for you and that you can understand can be provided by your doctor. It is probable that you will also need other health care professionals on your diabetes treatment team, including a nutritionist,foot doctor, eye doctor, and a diabetes specialist (called an endocrinologist). A combination of medications, exercise, and diet will help your treatment for diabetes as well as keeping close watch over your blood sugar levels and keeping them at a goal set by your doctor.
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