Live Life Team
Diabetes or diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition caused by high sugar levels in the blood. Diabetes is of two types – Type 1 and Type 2.
In type 2 diabetes, body develops insulin resistance, that is, body either produces too little insulin or the body cells do not react properly to insulin. Insulin hormone maintains the blood sugar levels by moving glucose from the bloodstream to body cells and any deficiency or malfunctioning causes glucose levels of blood to rise.
In many cases, this type of diabetes is associated with obesity and commonly occurs in people over 40 years of age, hence is referred to as maturity-onset diabetes. However, in rare cases it could appear in children even at 7 years.
This is a more common form of diabetes, accounting for 95% of the total diabetes affected people. It is possible to control type 2 diabetes through healthy diet and regular monitoring of blood glucose levels, however, it is of a progressive type and eventually might require insulin intake in injection form.
Diabetes in pregnancy
During pregnancy, the blood sugar levels rise to an extent that insulin is not able to absorb them, hence leading to condition called gestational diabetes. This condition affects about 2% of pregnant women and can pose health problems in the unborn child.
Gestational diabetes, in most cases appears in latter pregnancy months and disappears with childbirth. However, it does increase chances of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
Symptoms of Type 2 diabetes
- Thirsty feeling
- Excessive urine production and frequent need to pass urine
- Tiredness
- Loss of body weight and muscle bulk
- Slow healing time of cuts and sores
- Itchy feeling around vagina or penis
- Blurred vision (due to drying of eye lens).
- Patches of dark, smooth skin in armpits and / or neck area.
Type 2 symptoms take a while to appear, may take weeks to months to develop. In some cases, very few or no symptoms show up, however, treatment is imperative to avoid other heart and kidney complications later.
Hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose)
This is caused due to high insulin intake, skipping meals, excessive exercise or having alcohol empty stomach. The blood sugar levels drop so low that the person feels shaky, irritable, weak, hungry, nauseous, tingly lips and sweaty. Generally, this can be controlled by eating or drinking sugar rich foods. In some cases severe symptoms like confusion, slurred speech and unconsciousness can occur, which can be brought under control by taking emergency hormone injection called glucagon to raise blood sugar level.
Hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose)
This condition occurs as a result of high blood glucose levels and all the symptoms mentioned above show up in the affected people in more severe and sudden form. This needs attention as non-treatment can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis wherein the body starts to burn fats instead of glucose to produce energy, thus creating acids in the bloodstream, result could be unconsciousness or even death in some cases.
Diabetics should seek urgent medical help in case the below symptoms occur
- Appetite loss
- Nausea or vomiting
- Stomach pain
- High body temperature
- Fruity smell, like pear drop or nail varnish, in your breath
