Diabetes: Symptoms and Treatment

The term “diabetes mellitus” describes a group of illnesses that affect how the body utilizes blood sugar (glucose). The cells that make up the muscles and tissues depend on glucose as a major source of energy. It serves as the primary fuel for the brain.

Insulin helps your body’s cells store or utilize sugar for energy by bringing it from the blood into the cells. When you have diabetes, your body either doesn’t produce enough insulin or uses it inefficiently.

Diabetes type 1 is an autoimmune condition. The immune system targets and kills insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. What triggers this attack is unknown. When your body develops insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes develops and blood sugar levels rise. About 90% to 95% of people have this type of diabetes.

What are the Symptoms of Diabetes?

Common Side Effects:

• Weight Loss
• Increase in appetite
• Thirsty
• Blurred Vision
• Fatigue

Symptoms in Men:

• Erectile Dysfunction (ED)
• Diminishing sexual urges
• Weaker muscle strength

Symptoms in Women:

• Yeast Infection
• Vaginal dryness
• Urinary tract infection

Treatments:

Depending on the type of diabetes you have, your treatment plan may include oral medications, insulin, and blood sugar monitoring. A healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and engaging in regular exercise are all crucial components of managing diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is managed with insulin injections or an insulin pump, routine blood sugar monitoring, and carbohydrate tracking. Islet cell or a pancreas transplant may be an option for some people with type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is mostly treated with dietary changes, blood sugar monitoring, oral diabetes medications, insulin, or a combination of the two.

Your doctor may occasionally also recommend other oral or injectable medications. Some diabetes medications encourage the pancreas to produce more insulin. Others stop your liver from producing and releasing glucose, which reduces the amount of insulin required to transport sugar into your cells.

Some people with prediabetes and other conditions like heart disease may benefit from taking drugs like metformin, statins, and high blood pressure medication.