Diabetes

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects your body’s ability to use glucose (sugar) for energy. Normally, your pancreas produces a hormone called insulin, which acts as energy for your cells. Your cells need insulin to use the glucose in your blood. Without insulin, glucose builds in the blood and slowly damages the vein walls.

Uncontrolled blood sugar levels can lead to several serious complications, including stroke, vision loss, and nerve damage.

What are the different types of diabetes?

The most common types of diabetes are:

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is a disorder that causes your immune system to attack the cells that make insulin in your pancreas. Since your body can’t make insulin on its own, you have to take regular insulin injections or use an implantable pump.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes develops over time and is often the result of diet and lifestyle factors, such as inactivity and smoking cigarettes. The disorder occurs when your body no longer produces enough insulin or doesn’t use it efficiently.

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a type of high blood sugar that happens during pregnancy. While the condition typically resolves after childbirth, it raises your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in the future.

Prediabetes

If you have prediabetes, you have consistently high blood sugar levels, but they aren’t high enough to justify a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis.

What are the symptoms of diabetes?

While the symptoms of diabetes can vary, the most common signs are:

• Increased thirst
• Frequent urination
• Blurred vision
• Dry skin
• Fatigue
• Unintended weight loss
• Tingling or weakness in the hands or feet

Diabetes also impacts the body’s natural healing process by slowing blood circulation to your extremities. If you have diabetes, it’s important to practice proper diabetic foot care and seek medical attention for slow-healing sores.

What are the treatments for diabetes?

Diabetes treatment varies depending on the type you have. After a thorough exam that includes blood work, your provider at Health North Family Medicine, LLC, may recommend one or more of the following treatments:

• Diet changes
• Carbohydrate counting
• Blood sugar monitoring
• Routine check-ups
• Insulin pump or injections
• Exercise
• Smoking cessation
• Medication

To learn more about diabetes, call Health North Family Medicine, LLC, or schedule an appointment online today.