Over 30 million Americans have diabetes, and an additional 84 million have prediabetes, conditions that put them at risk of serious health issues, like heart disease and nerve damage. At Pierre Physician Group, Mariette Pierre, MD, works with men and women in the downtown Houston area to effectively control their blood sugar with diet, exercise, and medications. To learn more about managing diabetes, call Pierre Physician Group or schedule an appointment online today.
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.
There are several types of diabetes, including:
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.
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:
It’s also common for people with diabetes to experience slow healing and frequent yeast infections.
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.