Diabetes, a disease characterized by chronic high levels of glucose in the blood, is not the major problem it once was. Prior to the end of the 19th century, it might well have been a death sentence for many. Excess glucose can have a number of ill effects, including poor cut healing or kidney damage, even coma. With the advancement of monitoring and insulin delivery methods, it’s often now little more than another daily task to perform.
Diabetes occurs from either the body’s ineffective use of insulin or its failure to produce sufficient insulin. Type 1 diabetes results from the pancreas’ islet cells failing to produce sufficient insulin to permit blood glucose to enter the cells and be used as energy. type 2 diabetes is termed insulin-resistant diabetes, since cellular resistance to insulin’s action allows excess glucose to stay in the blood.
Although the causes of different types of diabetes are not fully understood, most scientists believe a combination of genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors contribute to its development. One factor or the other sometimes dominates. For instance, around 3% of pregnant women develop gestational diabetes at about 24 to 28 weeks along. gestational diabetes disappears after delivery. However, Type 1 is primarily genetic and affects mainly children and young people.
Symptoms of diabetes are generally the same, no matter the form of the disease. These symptoms include: extreme thirst, frequent urination, and occasionally stomach pains or dizziness. These symptoms can be caused by numerous diseases. If you suspect you have diabetes you should be tested by a doctor.
A simple blood test is all that is needed to determine if you have diabetes. Normal blood glucose should be close to 99 mg/dL. A glucose level of 126 mg/dL or higher indicates diabetes. Doctors may double check a high glucose level with a second test before diagnosing diabetes.
Once confirmed, regular blood glucose monitoring is a must. Fortunately, there are today many convenient ways to do that. Testing devices the size of a cell phone are common. A small sample of blood is smeared on a strip fed into the instrument, which delivers a number within seconds. Some recent devices measure glucose level through the skin using an infrared beam.
Though diabetes is still a serious disease, diabetes management is easier today than ever before. Most people with diabetes can ward off serious complications through a proper treatment routine. Diabetes is no longer the disabling problem it was in the past; now diabetics can enjoy the same long, active lives that everyone else does.
