Diabetes Facts
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This section provides answers to most frequently asked questions about diabetes. Read our fast facts about diabetes. |
2. What are the types of diabetes?
3. What are the effects of diabetes?
4. What are the signs and symptoms of diabetes?
6. What is the proper treatment for diabetes?
8. Is there a cure for diabetes?
1. What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is an illness wherein blood glucose levels are not normal.
Most of what we eat gets converted into glucose or sugar, which fuels the body’s cells with energy to function and repair themselves. For glucose to enter the cells of our bodies, it needs a hormone called insulin. Insulin is produced by the pancreas, an organ near the stomach.
When you have diabetes, your body either doesn't make enough insulin or is unable to use insulin as it should. Without insulin or the ability to use insulin, sugar can’t get in the cells to provide energy. This causes too much sugar to build up in the blood.
Over time, diabetes can cause serious health problems such as heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, and amputations.
2. What are the types of diabetes?
There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2.
Type 1 Diabetes usually begins in young children and teenagers. With this type of diabetes, the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or stops producing it all together. To help keep their blood sugar at the right level, they need to have insulin shots regularly.
Type 2 Diabetes is usually seen in older people. A person with this type of diabetes has a pancreas that makes insulin, but insulin receptors on the cells’ surface don’t respond to the insulin anymore. Thus, sugar stays locked out of the cells and remain in the blood.
Smoking and being overweight can make a person more likely to get type 2 Diabetes. These are especially true for people who are African-American or Hispanic.
3. What are the effects of diabetes?
Health problems caused by diabetes are often taken for granted because they only appear over a period of time. But, they are serious conditions that should not be taken lightly.
- High blood pressure
Adults with diabetes are more likely to have heart disease or experience a stroke.
- Eye problems
High glucose levels and high blood pressure can make the blood vessels in the eyes leak liquid into the retina. This leads to blurring of the vision, and sometimes, blindness. Diabetics are also more likely to develop cataracts and glaucoma.
- Kidney failure
Having high levels of sugar can damage the blood vessels that bring oxygen and nutrients to the kidneys and harm the kidneys’ cells. If the sugar level remains high for a long time, the kidneys may stop working.
- Neuropathy
Having high blood glucose for many years can damage the blood vessels that bring oxygen to nerves. Numbness, pain, and weakness in the hands, arms, feet, and legs may be experienced.
- Gastroparesis
Nerve damage may also cause gastoparesis, a disorder wherein the stomach takes too long to empty itself. Symptoms include heartburn, nausea, vomiting of undigested food, an early feeling of fullness when eating, weight loss, abdominal bloating, erratic blood glucose levels, lack of appetite, gastroesophageal reflux, and spasms of the stomach wall.
- Problems with teeth and gums
People with diabetes are more likely to have problems with their teeth and gums, such as gingivitis and periodontitis. They are also prone to other mouth problems, like fungal infections, poor post-surgery healing, and dry mouth.
- Sexual problems
Because of nerve damage, men may have trouble maintaining an erection and ejaculating. Women can have trouble with sexual response and vaginal lubrication.
Diabetics are also more likely to get urinary tract infections and bladder problems.
- Depression
Some studies suggest that diabetes doubles the risk of depression. This may be due to diabetes’ metabolic effect on brain function.
4. What are the signs and symptoms of diabetes?
If you experience even just some of the following symptoms, it is best to see a doctor for diagnosis.
- Losing weight without trying
- Urinating more than usual
- Frequently being thirsty or hungry
- Feeling tired most of the time
- Having blurry vision
- Having dry or itchy skin
- Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
- Having sores that are slow to heal
- Getting infections easily
Nausea, vomiting, or stomach pains may also be experienced by people with type 1 diabetes.
5. How is diabetes diagnosed?
- Clinical Diagnosis
Your doctor may ask if you’ve noticed any signs or symptoms like being thirsty or tired, going to the bathroom a lot, having tingling in your feet, or experiencing blurry vision.
- Finger Prick
This test extracts a small drop of blood from your finger. The blood is then used to see if your sugar levels are too high.
- Fasting Glucose Test
You will be required not to eat for ten hours, after which blood will be taken from your arm. If you have diabetes, blood analysis will show that the sugar levels are higher than normal.
- Glucose Tolerance Test
Prior to the test, fasting for ten hours is required. The doctor will take some blood, then you will drink a very sweet liquid. 3 or 4 more blood samples will be taken in the next few hours. For people who have diabetes, their blood sugar level will go up and stay up. For people without diabetes, their blood sugar level will go up, and then go down.If you have a blood sugar level greater than 200 at any time, you probably have diabetes.
If any of these tests reveal high blood sugar levels, additional blood and urine tests may be performed to confirm the diagnosis.
6. What is the proper treatment for diabetes?
People with diabetes should see a doctor who will help them manage their diabetes. Diabetics may see an endocrinologist; an ophthalmologist for eye examinations; a podiatrist for foot care; and a dietitian.
It is important to constantly monitor and control your sugar levels by doing the following:
- Taking medicine (ie, insulin or diabetes pills) and diabetic supplements
- Testing your blood sugar levels regularly
- Following a proper diet
- Getting proper exercise
- Quitting smoking
7. Can diabetes be prevented?
Regular physical activity and maintaining an ideal weight can significantly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Researchers are making progress in identifying the factors that lead to the development of type 1 diabetes, but they have yet to find out how to prevent it.
8. Is there a cure for diabetes?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), several approaches to cure diabetes are being pursued. These include pancreas transplantation, islet cell transplantation, artificial pancreas development and genetic manipulation. Although progress is being made, we still have a long way to go.
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