Diabetes

Diabetes develops when a problem with your pancreas affects insulin production and usage. Insulin is a hormone that regulates the glucose (sugar) levels in your blood. There are several forms of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an unpreventable and irreversible condition that develops in children and young people. It’s a disease that develops because the body’s immune system targets the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas. This means people with Type 1 diabetes are unable to produce any insulin.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is more often a problem for older adults, although rates are rising in children. It arises when your body can’t make enough insulin or stops being able to use the insulin it’s making. The most common reason for getting Type 2 diabetes is being overweight or obese, not getting enough exercise, and having a high-sugar, high-fat diet.

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes raises your blood sugar levels during pregnancy, causing a growth spurt in the baby. After the birth, your blood glucose quickly normalizes in most cases. Having gestational diabetes means you’re more likely to get Type 2 diabetes when you get older.

Diabetes impacts multiple systems in your body, including circulation, internal organs, and nerve function. It increases your risk of developing serious disorders, such as:

• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Kidney disease
• Glaucoma
• Cataracts
• Peripheral arterial disease
• Diabetic peripheral neuropathy

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy develops when diabetes damages the nerves, particularly in your feet. Neuropathy can cause pain and tingling, prickling, or burning feelings, which are unpleasant. But it can also cause numbness, so you don’t feel cuts and other injuries to your feet.

Because blood flow is poor in your feet when you have diabetes, your foot can’t heal injuries properly. Infection can set in, and ulcers develop where the skin breaks down. These slow healing wounds sometimes lead to gangrene (tissue death) and amputation.

People with Type 1 diabetes need to inject themselves with insulin or use an insulin pump that delivers the hormone regularly to control their blood sugar levels. Because Type 2 diabetes is usually a result of unhealthy living, the Innovation Medical Group Southwest Territory team treats your condition with habit and lifestyle changes, which could include:

• Losing weight
• Stopping smoking
• Cutting down your alcohol intake
• Getting regular exercise
• Eating a low-fat, low-sugar diet

Your provider may prescribe a medication like metformin to help you get your diabetes under control. People with severe symptoms might require insulin injections.

Treating Type 2 diabetes can slow down or even reverse the disease, especially if treatment starts in the early stages (known as prediabetes).