DIABETES: Types, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Diagnosis, and much more
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes mellitus, which is commonly known as diabetes, is a chronic ailment that usually happens when the blood glucose level is higher than normal in an individual. Diabetes is metabolic disease.
Blood glucose is a dominant source of energy in our body and its level depends upon the food wheat and how our body breaks it down. The pancreas in our body produces a hormone called insulin. Insulin is responsible for regulating blood sugar levels. With insulin's help, the blood glucose/sugar that we get from the food is transferred to the cells, where it is stored or used for energy to carry out our day-to-day activities.
Diabetes / hyperglycemia occurs when the pancreas is either not able to produce enough insulin or the body is not able to utilize the insulin properly. In such conditions, the sugar in the blood is not able to be transferred to the cells, and over the passage of time, this results in the accumulation of sugar in our bloodstream. This high level of sugar in the blood, if left untreated for a long time can lead to severe health issues such as damage to the eyes and nerves, kidney damage, heart disease, and damage to other organs too.
Different Types of Diabetes:
Diabetes can be differentiated into four main types.
· Type 1 Diabetes:Type1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. People of any age group can be affected by type 1 diabetes, but it is most common in children and young adults. About10 percent of the population with diabetes have this type.
· Type 2 Diabetes: People suffer from type 2 diabetes when their body is not able to produce enough insulin or when the insulin is not used well by the body to control glucose levels in the blood. Type 2 diabetes is seen most commonly in older adults.
· Prediabetes: Prediabetes is a stage just before type 2 diabetes. In prediabetes, the glucose levels are rather higher than normal but are not high enough to be medically and officially labeled as type 2 diabetes. The other term for prediabetes is Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT).
Gestational Diabetes: Some women develop high glucose levels during pregnancy and this condition is known as gestational diabetes.
· The blood sugars usually return to normal soon after the delivery; however, there is a high likelihood of developing type2 later in life if gestational diabetes is diagnosed during pregnancy.
There are rather fewer common types of diabetes that can be seen, and these include:
· Cystic Fibrosis-Related Diabetes: This type of diabetes is only specific for people who are suffering from cystic fibrosis.
· Chemical or Drug-Induced Diabetes: This is developed when a specific type of medication is used and that in turn leads to the development of diabetes.
· Monogenic Diabetes: This is an inherited form of diabetes and is a rare form.
Symptoms of Diabetes:
Some general symptoms can be seen with type 1 as well as type 2 diabetes and these are:
· Increased hunger.
· Increased frequency of urination.
· Increased thirst.
· Tingling and numbness in the hands and feet.
· Inability of a sore to heal.
· Blurry vision.
· Unexplained weight loss.
· Fatigue.
It is important to note that symptoms of type 1 diabetes start rather instantly, maybe within a few weeks. On the other hand, symptoms of type 2 diabetes develop very slowly over several years.
Causes of Diabetes:
The causes of each type of diabetes are different.
· It is still unknown to the doctors as to what exactly is the cause of type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is caused due to compromised immune system. In some people, genetics is also a reason.
· Type 2 diabetes can be caused due to various factors, but majorly the cause is lifestyle and genetics.
· The cause of gestational diabetes is mainly the hormonal changes during pregnancy.
· Some additional causes of diabetes include certain medicines that could have adversely affected the pancreas, other diseases, or if the pancreas was damaged and had to be removed.
Risk Factors of Diabetes:
Risk factors differ with each type of diabetes. Let’s look at some of them:
· Type 1 Diabetes: Risk of developing type 1 diabetes is high if you are a child or a teenager and there is a family history of type 1 diabetes or if the pancreas is injured or damaged or removed due to any reasons. Viral illness exposure could also result in type 1 diabetes in some individuals.
· Type 2 Diabetes: Common risk factors for type 2 diabetes include obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, an unhealthy diet, high blood pressure, being 45 or older, history of gestational diabetes, prediabetes, etc. Family history is one of the risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes.
· Gestational Diabetes: Risk factors for gestational diabetes are prediabetes, family history of type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), being above age 25 during pregnancy. Additionally, if a woman is overweight before her pregnancy, she has a greater risk of developing gestational diabetes.
Diabetes Diagnosis:
If you notice any signs and symptoms mentioned above, it is advisable to get tested for diabetes. Even if you do not show any symptoms but have a family history or carry other risk factors for developing diabetes, then you too should get your blood sugar levels tested at regular intervals.
Early diagnosis of diabetes can help with better management of the sugar levels and prevent long-term complications.
Most often, for the diagnosis of diabetes, the health care professionals order a fasting plasma glucose test (FPG) or the A1c test. FPG test is conducted after 8 hours of fasting. For undergoing an HbA1c test, fasting is not required. Sometimes doctors order random plasma glucose test (RPG) if in any situation the doctor needs to know the sugar level at that particular time. RPG test can be done without any fasting and can be done at any time.
Pregnant women are usually tested for gestational diabetes between the 24th and 28th weeks of pregnancy. During pregnancy, a glucose challenge test is ordered for diabetes detection.
An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) is also sometimes ordered to test for diabetes.
The table below will give you a clear picture of what the numbers in your test mean.
Diagnosis A1c (%) Fasting glucose (FPG) Oral glucose tolerance (OGTT) Random glucose(RPG) Normal Below 5.7 99 or below 139 or below
Prediabetes 5.7 to 6.4 100 to 125 140 to 199
Diabetes 6.5 or above 126 or above 200 or above 200 or above
Do not self-interpret the results. Consult an expert endocrinologist who is the best judge to chart out the most appropriate treatment course for you. Dr.Monga Medi Clinic has an exclusive Department of Endocrinology that houses the best endocrinologists who have years of expertise intreating diabetes efficiently.
Treatment of Diabetes:
There is no cure for diabetes until now, but there are several ways to manage it effectively so that the individuals with diabetes can lead a normal life and prevent any complications. Management of diabetes depends upon the type of diabetes you have been diagnosed with. Treatment also depends upon your other current health conditions.
· For people suffering from type 1 diabetes, it is necessary to take insulin such as Lantus, Lispro, and Novolog every day as insulin production is no longer taking place in their body.
· Treatment of type 2 diabetes includes taking oral antidiabetic medications (such as metformin, glyburide, and glipizide) and/or insulin. In some patients, oral hypoglycemic medications are enough for diabetes control, but some individuals require combination of oral medications plus insulin, and some may only need insulin. Eating a diabetic diet, keeping oneself more physically active, and of course, maintaining healthy weight are also integral to good control of diabetes.
· If diagnosed with prediabetes, then the ultimate aim is to not let it progress to diabetes. Making healthy diet changes, losing weight, and keeping physically active, all focused on keeping the glucose levels normal are some of the treatments for prediabetes.
· To treat gestational diabetes, modifying diet and doing regular exercise are initially prescribed, but if still glucose levels do not come under control, then oral medications and/or insulin is given .
· To manage diabetes more effectively, one should also keep a check on the blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Smoking cessation also helps in managing diabetes efficiently.
Diabetes Prevention:
Diabetes caused due to impaired immune systems and genetics cannot be prevented and these are not under anybody’s control. They can only be managed so that it is controlled effectively and does not impact our life negatively.
Having said that, there are some controllable risk factors for diabetes. Making simple life changes can help a long way in preventing diabetes. Choosing healthy, low-fat diet, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy fitness routine helps in the prevention of diabetes.
Natural Ways of Treatment and Prevention of Diabetes:
There are more natural ways of treating and preventing diabetes. Making healthy dietary changes and following a balanced meal plan helps in mitigating the risk factors of diabetes such as cutting down on foods containing high salt and trans fats. Inculcating an exercise routine that includes aerobic exercises and keeping the body active also helps in preventing diabetes to progress further. Maintaining a healthy body weight helps in keeping glucose levels under control.
Role of Ayurveda in Treatment of Diabetes
Treating diabetes with Ayurveda is also a very effective way to treat it naturally. Oral antidiabetic medications cause side-effects in the long run, and people on insulin get frustrated with daily needle pricks. These are some of the reasons which is resulting in an increased number of patients to turn to Ayurveda for treatment of their diabetes. For centuries, Ayurveda has been using a combination of herbs, ayurvedic the rapeutic procedures, and lifestyle modifications to treat diabetes, and there are numerous scientific studies that document its effectiveness in managing diabetes, with minimal to no side effects.
The best place to get a comprehensive treatment for all types of diabetes is Dr. Monga Medi Clinic. It has a panel of expert dietitians who can guide you with the best diet plan to optimize your blood sugar levels and control diabetes. The clinic also has trained fitness experts and yoga gurus who can advise on the most effective exercises and yoga asanas that can be helpful in maintaining good sugar levels. Dr. Monga Medi Clinic is synonymous with Ayurveda and has a vast experience of 75 years in Ayurvedic practices. They have extensively researched for years and have come up with unique herbal concoctions that have superior efficacy intreating diabetes. They also combine Modern Medicine and Traditional Ayurveda to provide benefits of both the approaches to their patients. They are diabetes specialists and are dedicated towards providing their patients the best care possible to help them lead a normal and healthy life!
For people who cannot visit the clinic, online consultation is also provided through their website Dr. Monga Medi Clinic
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/symptoms-causes
https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes