What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a condition involving your blood sugar. Blood sugar, or glucose, comes from the food you eat and is your body’s primary source of energy.
Your pancreas makes insulin, a hormone that regulates your blood sugar. When you have diabetes, your body has problems using its insulin effectively or doesn’t make enough — or any — insulin.
If left untreated, diabetes can cause numerous health complications, including cardiovascular problems; kidney, eye, and foot damage; nerve and eye damage; and even death.
Are there different kinds of diabetes?
There are several types of diabetes, including:
- Type 1: often hereditary and develops in children; your body doesn’t make insulin
- Type 2: the most common form of diabetes; often seen in adults and related to obesity
- Gestational diabetes: occurs during pregnancy; increases your risk of having Type 2 diabetes in the future
In addition to these types of diabetes, you can also have prediabetes. Prediabetes occurs when your cells grow resistant to insulin. As a result, your blood sugar levels become elevated, but not high enough for a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
What are the symptoms of diabetes?
In many cases, diabetes and prediabetes don’t have any obvious symptoms. If signs are present, they’re often similar across the different types, though, Type 1 symptoms are usually more severe and come on suddenly.
The most common diabetes symptoms include:
- Increased thirst and urination
- Itchy skin and dry mouth
- Unexplained weight loss
- Hunger and fatigue
- Nausea and vomiting
- Blurry vision
- Numbness or pain in your legs or feet
It’s also common for people with diabetes to experience slow healing and frequent yeast infections.
How is diabetes diagnosed and treated?
To diagnose diabetes at Pierre Physician Group, Dr. Pierre performs a comprehensive medical exam, discusses your family history, and reviews your symptoms. She might also suggest blood work to test your glucose levels.
Based on your diagnosis and overall health, Dr. Pierre works closely with you to create a management strategy tailored to your specific diabetic condition. These typically include lifestyle changes like diet and exercise, recommendations for medication management, and guidance on how to use insulin.
For more information on diabetes diagnosis and management, call Pierre Physician Group or schedule an appointment online today.
