What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic disease that causes too much glucose, or sugar, in your blood. The glucose comes from the food you eat and serves as the primary source of energy for all the cells in your body. Insulin, a hormone made in your pancreas, helps get glucose from your blood into your cells.
Diabetes occurs due to issues related to insulin. How your insulin is affected determines the type of diabetes you have.
Type 1 diabetes
With type 1 diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough insulin or any at all. This type of diabetes is an autoimmune disorder, and diagnosis usually occurs during childhood or adolescence.
Type 2 diabetes
With type 2 diabetes, your body makes insulin, but your cells have become resistant to the action of your insulin, resulting in high blood sugar levels. Type 2 diabetes is more common than type 1 diabetes and adults more commonly receive a diagnosis, but children can have type 2 diabetes as well.
You may be at risk of type 2 diabetes if you’re over the age of 45, you have a family history of diabetes, you had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy), or you’re overweight or obese.
Does diabetes cause symptoms?
Yes, diabetes causes symptoms. However, the severity of your symptoms depends on the type of diabetes you have. In type 1 diabetes, the symptoms come on suddenly and severely, making them hard to miss. However, with type 2 diabetes, the symptoms tend to develop gradually over time and are often ignored.
Common diabetes symptoms include:
- Blurry vision
- Tingling in the hands or feet
- Excessive urination
- Unexpected weight loss
- Extreme hunger and thirst
- Fatigue
- Mood changes
If left uncontrolled, the excess sugar in your blood damages your blood vessels and organs and increases your risk of other health issues, such as kidney and heart disease.
How is diabetes diagnosed?
The team at Verma Health can determine if you have diabetes with a simple blood test. Some of the blood tests used to diagnose diabetes include:
- Fasting blood glucose
- Random blood glucose
- Hemoglobin A1C
Based on the results of your testing, the medical professionals at Verma Health can determine if you have diabetes or if you’re at risk of diabetes, a reversible condition known as prediabetes.
What are the treatments for diabetes?
The team at Verma Health create personalized treatment plans for the management of diabetes. The goal of your treatment is to improve your blood sugar and reduce your risk of more serious health complications.
Your treatment plan for diabetes may include:
- Diet modification
- Exercise program
- Medication
Specific treatment for your diabetes depends on the type of diabetes you have. If you have type 1 diabetes, you’re required to take insulin injections.
If you have a prediabetes diagnosis, making lifestyle changes (healthy diet, exercise, and weight loss) can cure your prediabetes and prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.
For expert diabetes care, contact Verma Health by phone or online today.
