Diabetes - Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Diabetes is a condition in which the sugar content in the blood exceeds normal and tends to be high. Diabetes mellitus is one of the metabolic diseases that can attack anyone. Diabetes mellitus is a chronic and lasting condition that affects the body's ability to use energy from food. There are two main types of this disease: Type 1 and Type 2.

Around worldwide, 350 million people have diabetes. In 2004, about 3-4 million people died of high blood sugar levels. More than 80% of deaths from Diabetes Mellitus disease occur in middle and low income countries. WHO estimates the number of deaths due to Diabetes Mellitus will double over the period 2005 - 2030.

The principle of this disease is the disruption of the body's ability to use glucose into cells. The normal body is able to break down sugars and carbohydrates that are eaten into a special sugar called glucose. Glucose is the fuel for the cells in the body. To insert glucose into cells requires insulin. In the case of Diabetes Mellitus, the body has no insulin (DM Type 1) or insulin that is inadequate (DM Type 2).

Because cells can not take up glucose, the glucose accumulates in the bloodstream. High levels of blood glucose can damage small blood vessels in the kidneys, eyes, heart, and nervous system. Therefore, untreated diabetes can lead to stroke, heart disease, kidney disease, blindness, and nerve damage in the legs.

Both types of diabetes have some of the same symptoms and signs:

• Hunger and fatigue. The body converts food into the glucose used to generate energy. When insulin is not optimal anymore or no, then the body will feel easily tired and hungry fast.
• Dry mouth and itchy skin. Because more frequent urination, water shortages occur in other body parts. You can become dehydrated and dry mouth. Dry skin can make you itch.

• Blurred vision. Changes in fluid levels in the body can make the lens in the eyes swell so that the lens of the eye changes shape and lose the ability to focus.
• Urinate more often and become thirsty easily. The average person usually urinates between 4-7 times in 24 hours, but people with this disease may become more frequent. Why? Usually the kidneys will absorb glucose followed by water absorption. But in people with diabetes, blood sugar levels have increased so the body is not possible to reabsorb glucose. Finally, water passing through the kidneys becomes more numerous.

Under certain conditions, there are symptoms that tend to appear after glucose levels have been high for a long time.

• Slow wound healing. Over time, high blood sugar can affect blood flow and cause nerve damage that makes the body difficult to heal wounds.
• Fungal infections. Both men and women with diabetes may be affected. Fungus likes glucose, so diabetics make mushrooms easy to grow. Infection can grow in areas of warm, moist skin such as skin folds between the fingers and toes, under the breasts, and around the intimate organs.
• Weight loss. If the body can not get energy, the cells will start burning muscle and fat to get other energy sources instead. Patients will lose weight despite not exercising or not eating less.
• Nausea and vomiting. When the body burns a source of energy other than glucose, the combustion results in the form of "ketone." Blood can fall under acidic pH conditions, a life-threatening condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. Ketones can cause stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting.

Type 1 and 2 Diabetes Treatment

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is also called insulin-dependent diabetes. It used to be called onset-child diabetes, as it often begins in childhood. But over time, many studies show that this type can also appear in adults.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition. This is because the pancreas is attacked by the patient's own antibodies. In this type of patient, the damaged pancreas does not make insulin. This type of diabetes can be caused by genetic predisposition.

Many of them stem from the damage of small blood vessels in the nerves (diabetic neuropathy) of the eye (called diabetic retinopathy),, and the kidneys (diabetic nephropathy). Even a more serious risk is increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

Treatment for type 1 is by administering insulin, by injection through the skin into fat tissue (usually in abdominal fat tissue).

Type 2 Diabetes

By far, the most common form of this disease is type 2 diabetes. 95% of cases are found in adults. Type 2 was once referred to as adult onset diabetes, but with the epidemic of many obese cases in children, many new teenagers are also experiencing this type. Type 2 diabetes is also called non-insulin dependent diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is usually lighter than type 1 because the pancreas is actually capable of producing insulin, but due to unhealthy lifestyles and foods, the pancreas experiences "fatigue". The pancreas is capable of producing some insulin. But the amount produced is not enough for the body's needs or other body cells become "immune" to insulin so that it becomes insulin resistant cells. Insulin resistance, or lack of sensitivity to insulin, occurs mostly in fat cells, liver, and muscle cells.

Just like type 1, type 2 can cause health complications, especially in the smallest blood vessels in the body such as kidneys, nerves, and eyes. Type 2 diabetes also increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.

People who are obese - weighing more than 20% of their ideal body weight - are at very high risk of getting this type. Fat people tend to have insulin resistance. With insulin resistance, the pancreas must work too hard to produce more insulin. But even then, there is not enough insulin to keep the sugar normal.

There is no cure for this disease. Initially, type 2 diabetes can be controlled by weight management, nutrition, and exercise. Usually, this type develops more rapidly in the end, so antidiabetic drugs are often needed.

The A1C test is a blood test that estimates the average glucose level in your blood over the previous three months. Periodic A1C testing may be recommended to see how well diet, exercise, and medication work to control blood sugar and the results are seen to prevent organ damage. A1C test is usually done several times a year.

Call your doctor if:

• Feel a very strong, weak, and very thirsty stomachache
• When urinating very often and many
• Breathe deeper and faster than usual (Kusmaul's breath, one of the diabetes's markers of gravity)
• Has a sweet-smelling breath like nail polish. (This is a sign of a very high ketone content)

Tweet

Subscribe to receive free email updates: