What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a condition that causes high levels of sugar in the blood. Patients with diabetes don’t produce enough insulin, the hormone responsible for turning glucose into energy for your cells. There are two main types of diabetes:
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack your pancreas, the organ responsible for producing insulin.
Patients with type 1 diabetes produce little to no insulin. Like many autoimmune disorders, the exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown, but experts believe genetics and environmental factors play a role.
Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body becomes insulin resistant. When you become insulin resistant, your body has to produce much more insulin than normal to control the sugar in your blood.
When your body can’t produce enough insulin to overcome the resistance, the result is high levels of sugar in the bloodstream. Type 2 diabetes is closely linked to obesity and lack of physical activity.
Prediabetes
Prediabetes is a reversible condition that can lead to type 2 diabetes. Patients with prediabetes have higher than normal levels of sugar in their blood but not enough to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. With the right lifestyle changes, prediabetes can be reversed.
What are the symptoms of diabetes?
Symptoms of diabetes include:
- Fatigue
- Extreme hunger
- Increased urination
- Unexplained weight loss
- Sores that are slow to heal
- Blurry vision
- Frequent infections
Symptoms depend on the severity of your condition and the type of diabetes you have. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes are typically sudden and severe, while symptoms of type 2 occur gradually.
How is diabetes diagnosed?
In most cases, a blood test is used to diagnose patients with diabetes. At Family Medical Associates of Delaware, your doctor takes a small sample to check the levels of sugar in your blood. You may need to fast prior to your test for an accurate diagnosis.
How is diabetes treated?
If you are diagnosed with prediabetes, there are a number of lifestyle changes you can make to improve your health and prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.
Maintaining a healthy body weight, proper diet and nutrition, and regular exercise can go a long way in helping you prevent diabetes. Healthy lifestyle habits are also essential to managing type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
If you are diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, treatment typically involves injectable insulin therapy or oral medications.
To speak with a doctor about managing your diabetes, book an appointment at Family Medical Associates of Delaware by phone today.
