Diabetes is a chronic and often life-changing condition that affects a huge percentage of the population today. When you suffer from diabetes, you experience a condition in which glucose levels within the bloodstream (or sugar levels) build up to dangerous heights. In most people, the insulin hormone will help to move the sugar out of the blood stream and into your cells, where it can be used up in the form of energy.
In type 2 diabetes, the most common type of diabetes in the world, the pancreas of the human body is unable to produce enough insulin, or the body simply cannot react properly to the insulin that is produced. This means that blood sugar continues to build up to dangerous amounts, and can even lead to some life-threatening consequences.
When it comes to understanding type 2 diabetes signs, symptoms and treatments, it’s worth noting that it is possible to manage type 2 diabetes, even if it can’t be cured. With the right exercise, diet, and medication, you can get control over your illness.
What Are the Symptoms of Diabetes?
When you’re considering type 2 diabetes signs, symptoms, and treatments, one of the first things you should know is how to recognize the presence of the disease. In type 2 diabetes, your body cannot use insulin effectively to make use of glucose in your blood. This means that your body needs to rely on alternative sources of energy in your muscles, tissues, and organs.
The nature of type 2 diabetes causes a chain reaction that leads to a range of symptoms. Type 2 diabetes can also develop slowly. While the symptoms might be mild and easy to dismiss at first, appearing as fatigue, constant hunger, thirst, or weight loss, they can gradually grow worse with time. Small problems like itchy skin, dry mouth, and blurry vision can become dark patches on the skin and strange pains throughout the body and more.
Some of the more severe symptoms of diabetes can include feelings of numbness throughout your extremities – an issue that’s known as diabetic neuropathy. Without the right treatment, diabetes can even become a life-threatening issue.
Additionally, diabetes has a powerful impact on the heart. According to some studies, women with diabetes are more than two times more likely to have another heart attack after they’ve already had one. Additionally, they are also at four times higher risk of developing heart failure compared to women who don’t have diabetes.
How Can You Treat Type 2 Diabetes?
If you’re concerned about type 2 diabetes signs, symptoms and treatments, remember that there are ways that you can get your condition under control. Usually, your doctor will be able to tell you how you can manage your condition by trying to keep your blood glucose level under control. Most people will begin a diet and exercise routine that involves eating plenty of foods that are rich in healthy carbs and fiber. You should also consume plenty of fruits, whole grains, and vegetables.
Usually, when you have type 2 diabetes, it’s also a good idea to change your eating habits so that you’re consuming energy at regular intervals, and you will also need to take steps to keep your heart and weight healthy.
Once you’ve received a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, your doctor will discuss some options with you about how you can progress carefully to manage your condition. He or she should also give you some signs to watch out for when looking into the early symptoms that indicate that your blood sugar level could be too low or too high, and what you should do in such situations.
Remember, not everyone who has type 2 diabetes will necessarily have to use insulin. If you are asked to take insulin, this will be because your pancreas simply can’t make enough of this substance on its own. You will need to take the insulin given to you as directed, and you may also benefit from other medications too.
In terms of type 2 diabetes signs, symptoms and treatments, the most common option for medication is metformin. This is a drug that you can use to lower your overall blood sugar level, and therefore reduce the risk that you’ll suffer from any serious complications. Additionally, sulfonylureas can also help your body to produce more insulin if your pancreas is unable to make enough on its own.
Importantly, while there are a lot of different medications and treatments available, many of the medicines in the world that can treat diabetes can have some side effects. You may find that it takes some time for you to find the right combination of medications for your treatment.
If your cholesterol level or blood pressure level is too low or too high, then you might need to take some extra medications to address the issue. This can be a common problem for people who experience issues with diabetes.
What Causes Type 2 Diabetes?
If you’ve been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, it might be difficult for you to understand where the condition came from and why you have it. The first thing you should know is that it all comes down to insulin, which is the naturally occurring hormone that your pancreas typically produces.
When you eat, insulin is released, and it helps your body to use the sugar in your body to produce energy. If you have type 2 diabetes, then your body may have become resistant to insulin, and you can no longer use the hormone. This means that your pancreas needs to work harder at making insulin over time. Eventually, you could end up having damage in your pancreas as a result of diabetes.
The result is that the amount of glucose gradually builds up in your bloodstream, which means that your cells don’t get the energy they need while the high amount of sugar in your blood causes unwanted effects, such as hardening of the blood vessels and nerve damage, which may cause vision loss or loss of limbs. Ultimately, doctors don’t know why this process happens. Some believe that it’s a problem with cell dysfunction within your pancreas, or issues with signaling and cell regulation. Others think that diabetes can most often be linked to genetic factors and problems with obesity.