Diabetes

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease that results from having blood glucose levels. Glucose in your blood comes from the food you eat and provides you with the energy required for daily activities and bodily functions.

Insulin, a hormone your pancreas makes, allows your body to turn glucose into energy. If your body can’t create enough insulin or doesn’t use insulin properly, you end up with health problems: The glucose stays in your blood, does not reach your cells, and your blood glucose levels soar.

There are two main types of diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes

If you have type 1 diabetes, your body doesn’t produce any insulin because your immune system destroys the cells in your pancreas that should make insulin. Type 1 diabetes typically occurs in children and young adults, and sufferers need to take insulin every day.

Type 2 diabetes

If you have type 2 diabetes, that means your body doesn’t make enough insulin or doesn’t use insulin properly. Type 2 diabetes can develop at any age but typically occurs when you’re middle-aged or older. Type 2 is more common and overweight or obese individuals who aren’t physically active are most at risk.

What are common signs and symptoms of diabetes?

Common signs and symptoms of diabetes include:

• Increased thirst and hunger
• Frequent urination
• Fatigue
• Blurry vision
• Numbness in your feet or hands
• Sores that persist and don’t heal
• Sudden, unexplained weight loss

The symptoms of Type 1 diabetes can occur very quickly. With Type 2 diabetes, symptoms usually develop gradually, sometimes over several years and can go unnoticed for some time.

How is diabetes diagnosed?

If you report symptoms of diabetes, your provider at Carolina Medical Center reviews your medical history, performs a physical exam, and discusses your symptoms.

For an accurate diagnosis, they may order specific tests, such as a blood or urine test, to ensure an accurate diagnosis. Carolina Medical Center does their lab testing with LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics.

How is diabetes managed and treated?

A critical part of managing diabetes is improving your overall health and wellness with diet and exercise. Expect your provider to make lifestyle modification recommendations and monitor your progress closely over time.

Treatment for Type 1 diabetes involves daily insulin injections you learn to perform yourself and constant blood sugar checks. For Type 2 diabetes, treatment includes blood sugar monitoring, diabetes medications, insulin, or both medication and insulin.

To learn more about diabetes treatment options from the experienced health professionals at Carolina Medical Center, call or schedule an appointment online today.