diabetes and it early symptoms
Do you feel extreme thirst or urge to urinate a lot, or have you noticed one of your relatives experiencing these symptoms? These symptoms may indicate diabetes, which is one of the most common chronic diseases around the world, and its complications lead to serious illnesses, and throughout this article
We will discuss the definition of diabetes, what are its early signs, causes, and how to live with it.
It is an autoimmune disease that affects the body’s body in terms of secretion of the hormone insulin, which affects the levels of glucose in the blood causing diabetes, as the body converts what it enters from food or drink into glucose, which provides the necessary energy that the body needs, and in the case of diabetes The pancreas cannot make enough of the hormone insulin, which increases glucose levels and high blood sugar, causing disease.
There are many early signs of diabetes, including:
You should know, dear reader, that there are several types of diabetes that affect different segments of people, and the causes of diabetes differ according to the type as follows:
It is a condition in which a person suffers from the appearance of some symptoms of diabetes as a result of high blood sugar, but not in the way that makes the person sick with diabetes, however, the person becomes more vulnerable to developing type 2 diabetes or developing a heart disease, especially in cases of neglect and lack of lifestyle Healthy with exercise.
It is the type in which diabetes is an autoimmune disease, where the body attacks beta cells in the pancreas, which makes it unable to secrete the hormone insulin normally, which affects the access of glucose to the cells of the body, which provides them with the necessary energy, and a person becomes infected with this type of diabetes as a result of a defect In some genes, it often appears in children at an early age, and in this case, the body must be provided with the insulin it needs periodically.
During this type, the body secretes insulin, but not enough, and the body cells resist it, which is called insulin resistance, and as a result, the body's cells do not get enough energy, and glucose accumulates in the blood, which leads to high levels of sugar in the bloodstream And often the cause of this type of infection is more environmental factors such as obesity or an unhealthy lifestyle, in addition to some genetic factors that cause the development of the disease.
During pregnancy, the placenta secretes some hormones that make the cells of the pregnant woman's body more resistant to insulin, which causes an increase in the level of glucose in the blood and thus high blood sugar significantly, which leads to the development of gestational diabetes, and in most cases the symptoms of diabetes in pregnant women are similar to the symptoms of other types of disease Diabetes from dryness, frequent urination and a feeling of extreme thirst.
Gestational diabetes usually disappears after childbirth, but it increases a woman's risk of developing type 2 diabetes later or becoming susceptible to developing it again in subsequent pregnancies.
Despite the important role that genetic factors play in developing the disease, there are some other risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing it, and they are:
Diabetics may be exposed to serious complications in a state of neglect and usually these complications do not occur until after a period of time and gradually passes, and examples of these complications include the following:
People with diabetes become at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, as it is more likely to have angina or heart attacks.
Often times, severe high blood sugar can lead to damage to the capillaries that supply the nerves, especially in the hands and legs, which causes a feeling of tingling or burning in the toes or hands, and it increases with time and symptoms such as nausea and vomiting may increase. Without treatment, it may lead to loss of feeling in the limbs, as well as cause erectile dysfunction in men.
The kidneys contain some pools of blood vessels that act as filters for the bloodstream from waste products, and in the event of a significant increase in the level of sugar in the blood causing damage to the filtration system, and in the case of neglect, complications can develop and the person suffers from kidney failure that may be difficult to treat.
One of the serious complications of diabetes is that it may cause damage to the blood vessels of the retina, which is called diabetic retinopathy, which may cause blindness in the absence of appropriate treatment, and it may cause what is called cataract.
Diabetes affects nerves greatly, as it damages them in the event of a high level in the blood, which affects the nerves of the extremities and reduces blood flow to them naturally, and in the event of serious wounds, this may lead to ulcers that cause severe infections that may lead to amputation sometimes, This is called a diabetic foot ulcer.
Most pregnant women with gestational diabetes give birth to healthy babies, but there are some cases that may suffer from serious complications such as:
The symptoms of type 1 diabetes usually appear suddenly, which causes a person to undergo examinations to diagnose the disease, unlike type 2 diabetes, whose symptoms appear gradually. In both cases, the person needs to do the following glucose analyzes to diagnose the disease, as follows:
This test helps to measure blood sugar during the last two or three months by determining the average blood sugar level associated with hemoglobin, knowing that it does not require fasting, and the test result when done on two separate times indicates the following:
During this test, a blood sample is drawn to find out the blood sugar level randomly, and in the event that the test result exceeds 200 mg / dL, this means that the person suffers from diabetes.
In the fasting sugar test, a person needs to abstain from food and drink throughout the night before doing the analysis, then blood sugar is measured during fasting and the following results indicate:
The person performs this test after fasting throughout the night, then a blood sample is taken during fasting, then he consumes a sugary liquid, which is a liquid glucose, and then blood sugar levels are measured periodically for two hours, and the test results indicate:
During this test, the pregnant woman consumes a liquid glucose, then blood sugar levels are measured an hour later, and in the event that her sugar level exceeds 140 mg / dL, this means that she is at high risk of developing gestational diabetes, however this test must be done several times to follow up in this case It requires fasting first, then consuming liquid and measuring sugar every one to two hours to determine its level in the blood.
Treatments for diabetes may vary according to its type, degree of severity, and the health status of the patient, but there are some treatment methods that may be used in both types, including the following:
There are some methods that help prevent diabetes, but are also used as a treatment for it, and they are:
In the end, after explaining what diabetes is, its early symptoms and causes, dear reader, you should be careful to do diabetes checks from time to time to monitor blood sugar levels, and you should also stay away from prepared foods, soft drinks, and canned juices that increase the harmful calories in the body and raise levels Blood sugar.
We will discuss the definition of diabetes, what are its early signs, causes, and how to live with it.
Definition of diabetes
It is an autoimmune disease that affects the body’s body in terms of secretion of the hormone insulin, which affects the levels of glucose in the blood causing diabetes, as the body converts what it enters from food or drink into glucose, which provides the necessary energy that the body needs, and in the case of diabetes The pancreas cannot make enough of the hormone insulin, which increases glucose levels and high blood sugar, causing disease.
Diabetes symptoms and causes of infection
There are many early signs of diabetes, including:
- Feeling very thirsty.
- frequent urination.
- Sudden weight loss.
- Blurry vision.
- Constant feeling of hunger.
- Slowly heal wounds.
- Feeling of tiredness and fatigue.
- Frequent infections and infection of the skin or gums or vaginal infections.
- Mood swings.
- Headache.
- skin dryness.
- Feeling sick and vomiting.
- Feeling of lethargy and extreme weakness.
- Dizziness and a feeling of imbalance.
- Noticing involuntary muscle movements.
Types of diabetes and causes of it
You should know, dear reader, that there are several types of diabetes that affect different segments of people, and the causes of diabetes differ according to the type as follows:
Prediabetes
It is a condition in which a person suffers from the appearance of some symptoms of diabetes as a result of high blood sugar, but not in the way that makes the person sick with diabetes, however, the person becomes more vulnerable to developing type 2 diabetes or developing a heart disease, especially in cases of neglect and lack of lifestyle Healthy with exercise.
Type 1 sugar
It is the type in which diabetes is an autoimmune disease, where the body attacks beta cells in the pancreas, which makes it unable to secrete the hormone insulin normally, which affects the access of glucose to the cells of the body, which provides them with the necessary energy, and a person becomes infected with this type of diabetes as a result of a defect In some genes, it often appears in children at an early age, and in this case, the body must be provided with the insulin it needs periodically.
Type 2 sugar
During this type, the body secretes insulin, but not enough, and the body cells resist it, which is called insulin resistance, and as a result, the body's cells do not get enough energy, and glucose accumulates in the blood, which leads to high levels of sugar in the bloodstream And often the cause of this type of infection is more environmental factors such as obesity or an unhealthy lifestyle, in addition to some genetic factors that cause the development of the disease.
Gestational Diabetes
During pregnancy, the placenta secretes some hormones that make the cells of the pregnant woman's body more resistant to insulin, which causes an increase in the level of glucose in the blood and thus high blood sugar significantly, which leads to the development of gestational diabetes, and in most cases the symptoms of diabetes in pregnant women are similar to the symptoms of other types of disease Diabetes from dryness, frequent urination and a feeling of extreme thirst.
Gestational diabetes usually disappears after childbirth, but it increases a woman's risk of developing type 2 diabetes later or becoming susceptible to developing it again in subsequent pregnancies.
What are the risk factors for diabetes?
Despite the important role that genetic factors play in developing the disease, there are some other risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing it, and they are:
Weight: As the increase in fat cells in the body increases the cells' resistance to insulin.
Lack of physical activity: laziness and lethargy increase the risk of disease, while exercise helps increase insulin sensitivity and thus burn glucose more.
Medical history: In many cases, a person may carry a family history of the disease, which increases the risk of developing it, whether the first or second type of diabetes.
Age: Age is one of the most dangerous factors that may lead to disease, especially if the person does not exercise or suffers from obesity, which increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes with age, however, the number of people with this type has increased among children And teenagers and young adults in recent times.
Suffering from high blood pressure: High blood pressure is often associated with diabetes, as a person whose blood pressure measurement exceeds 140/90 mm / Hg becomes highly susceptible to developing type 2 diabetes.
High cholesterol and triglycerides: When a person suffers from high harmful cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, he becomes more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes complications
Diabetics may be exposed to serious complications in a state of neglect and usually these complications do not occur until after a period of time and gradually passes, and examples of these complications include the following:
Cardiovascular disease
People with diabetes become at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, as it is more likely to have angina or heart attacks.
Peripheral neuropathy
Often times, severe high blood sugar can lead to damage to the capillaries that supply the nerves, especially in the hands and legs, which causes a feeling of tingling or burning in the toes or hands, and it increases with time and symptoms such as nausea and vomiting may increase. Without treatment, it may lead to loss of feeling in the limbs, as well as cause erectile dysfunction in men.
Kidney damage (nephropathy)
The kidneys contain some pools of blood vessels that act as filters for the bloodstream from waste products, and in the event of a significant increase in the level of sugar in the blood causing damage to the filtration system, and in the case of neglect, complications can develop and the person suffers from kidney failure that may be difficult to treat.
Retinopathy
One of the serious complications of diabetes is that it may cause damage to the blood vessels of the retina, which is called diabetic retinopathy, which may cause blindness in the absence of appropriate treatment, and it may cause what is called cataract.
Diabetic foot
Diabetes affects nerves greatly, as it damages them in the event of a high level in the blood, which affects the nerves of the extremities and reduces blood flow to them naturally, and in the event of serious wounds, this may lead to ulcers that cause severe infections that may lead to amputation sometimes, This is called a diabetic foot ulcer.
Gestational diabetes complications
Most pregnant women with gestational diabetes give birth to healthy babies, but there are some cases that may suffer from serious complications such as:
Excess growth: or the so-called gigantism, where the mother gives birth to a baby with a large weight, as a result of the increased level of glucose secreted by the placenta, which results in the fetus’s liver secreting more insulin, affecting its growth, causing an increase in its size.
Low blood sugar for children: As a result of the mother’s high blood sugar, the insulin levels of the fetus increase, which causes him to suffer from low blood sugar levels shortly after birth, however this condition can be treated by using an intravenous glucose solution for the child with proper nutrition under the supervision of the doctor.
Type 2 diabetes increased: Babies whose mothers have diabetes during pregnancy often become more prone to developing type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Preeclampsia: In many cases, pregnant women who suffer from gestational diabetes may become at great risk of developing preeclampsia, which results from high pressure, increased protein in the urine, swelling of the legs and feet, and in the absence of treatment quickly, it may threaten the life of both the mother and the fetus.
How to diagnose diabetes
The symptoms of type 1 diabetes usually appear suddenly, which causes a person to undergo examinations to diagnose the disease, unlike type 2 diabetes, whose symptoms appear gradually. In both cases, the person needs to do the following glucose analyzes to diagnose the disease, as follows:
A1C test (glycated hemoglobin test)
This test helps to measure blood sugar during the last two or three months by determining the average blood sugar level associated with hemoglobin, knowing that it does not require fasting, and the test result when done on two separate times indicates the following:
- If his result is higher than 6.5%, this means that the person suffers from diabetes.
- If the test result is from 5.7 to 6.4%, this means that he has prediabetes.
- If the test result is less than 5.7%, this means that your blood sugar level is normal.
Random blood sugar test
During this test, a blood sample is drawn to find out the blood sugar level randomly, and in the event that the test result exceeds 200 mg / dL, this means that the person suffers from diabetes.
Fasting blood sugar test
In the fasting sugar test, a person needs to abstain from food and drink throughout the night before doing the analysis, then blood sugar is measured during fasting and the following results indicate:
- If the test result is less than 100 mg / dL, this means that your blood sugar level is normal.
- If the test result is from 100 to 125 mg / dL, this means that he has prediabetes.
- If the test result is 126 mg / dL or higher, this means that he has diabetes.
Oral glucose tolerance test
The person performs this test after fasting throughout the night, then a blood sample is taken during fasting, then he consumes a sugary liquid, which is a liquid glucose, and then blood sugar levels are measured periodically for two hours, and the test results indicate:
- Diabetes if the test result exceeds 200 mg / dL.
- Introductory diabetes if the test reads between 140 to 199 mg / dL.
- The normal blood sugar level when the result is less than 140 mg / dL.
Glucose Tolerance Test for Gestational Diabetes
During this test, the pregnant woman consumes a liquid glucose, then blood sugar levels are measured an hour later, and in the event that her sugar level exceeds 140 mg / dL, this means that she is at high risk of developing gestational diabetes, however this test must be done several times to follow up in this case It requires fasting first, then consuming liquid and measuring sugar every one to two hours to determine its level in the blood.
Diabetes treatment
Treatments for diabetes may vary according to its type, degree of severity, and the health status of the patient, but there are some treatment methods that may be used in both types, including the following:
Monitor blood sugar: a person with diabetes needs to monitor blood sugar levels periodically, especially after eating foods and drinks that contain a proportion of starches and sugars, which may cause the level of sugar to rise, so the patient may need to measure it 3 to 4 times a day.
Insulin: For people with type 1 diabetes, they need insulin to survive while people with type 2 diabetes or gestational diabetes may vary the extent of their need for insulin depending on the severity of the disease, and the dose and type of insulin differs from one patient to another, as there are three types of it, which are :
- Long-acting insulin.
- Fast-acting insulin.
- Short-acting insulin.
Taking some medications: Often the doctor prescribes some injectable or oral medications that help stimulate the pancreas and make more insulin.
Transplants: There are some type 1 diabetes patients who receive pancreas transplants as a form of treatment instead of taking insulin for life.
Diabetes prevention methods
There are some methods that help prevent diabetes, but are also used as a treatment for it, and they are:
- Eat healthy food and follow healthy diets that contain higher proportions of dietary fiber and lower proportions of fat and calories, such as vegetables and fruits.
- Exercising because it helps to regulate blood sugar levels significantly, and a person may do 30 minutes a week of light exercises such as walking and aerobic exercises.
- Reaching the ideal weight because getting rid of excess weight reduces the risk of diabetes significantly, and also works to prevent other diseases such as cardiovascular disease.
In the end, after explaining what diabetes is, its early symptoms and causes, dear reader, you should be careful to do diabetes checks from time to time to monitor blood sugar levels, and you should also stay away from prepared foods, soft drinks, and canned juices that increase the harmful calories in the body and raise levels Blood sugar.
