According to the American Diabetes Association, over 11.3% of Americans are living with diabetes. This condition is becoming increasingly common, with 1.4 million Americans diagnosed with diabetes yearly. And what’s more, diabetes can cause gradual, unassuming symptoms that can creep up on you and lead to complications like stroke and heart failure.
Thankfully, you can prevent complications and manage the condition with early detection. As your top primary care physicians in Pineville, NC, we at Carolina Medical Associates are here to help you understand this condition and the warning signs you shouldn’t ignore.
Understanding Diabetes
What Is Diabetes?
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition that affects millions of people of all ages worldwide. It occurs when your body cannot properly regulate blood sugar (glucose) levels. This happens when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin (the hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels) or your body cannot use insulin effectively.
Carbohydrates in your food and drinks are your primary source of glucose (sugar), which your body uses to generate energy. Glucose is transported to all the cells in your body through your bloodstream. However, the cells require a “key” known as insulin to absorb and use the glucose in your bloodstream. When your body cannot produce enough insulin or use insulin correctly, glucose accumulates in your bloodstream, leading to hyperglycemia, a characteristic of diabetes.
Diabetes (and persistently high blood glucose levels) can lead to various health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease, nerve damage, and blindness. Moreover, most diabetes forms are lifelong (chronic). However, with proper management, including lifestyle changes and medication, people with diabetes can lead long and healthy lives.
What Are the Types of Diabetes?
There are many different types of diabetes, including:
Prediabetes
This refers to a stage before the onset of type 2 diabetes. At this stage, your blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to meet the diagnostic criteria for Type 2 diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is more prevalent in children and young adults. It occurs when the pancreas cells cannot produce insulin or they produce it in very little quantity.
Type 2 Diabetes
This is the most common type of diabetes and is most prevalent in adults. It occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or becomes resistant to insulin, thus impairing its ability to regulate blood sugar levels properly.
Gestational Diabetes
This is a type of diabetes that occurs in some women during pregnancy. Generally, gestational diabetes resolves or disappears after pregnancy. However, women who have experienced this type of diabetes are at a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.
Monogenic Diabetes
This is a form of diabetes that results from a mutation or alteration in a single gene. It is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, which means that a person with one copy of the mutated gene from either parent can develop the condition. Unlike type 1 or type 2 diabetes, it is a rare condition that typically necessitates genetic testing for an accurate diagnosis.
Monogenic diabetes can present in two forms: neonatal diabetes, which is diagnosed within the first six months of life, and maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY), which is usually diagnosed in adolescence or early adulthood.
Type 3c Diabetes
This occurs when the pancreas is damaged by factors other than autoimmune damage, impairing its insulin production ability. Conditions like hemochromatosis, cystic fibrosis, pancreatic cancer, pancreatitis, and surgery like pancreatectomy can all lead to pancreatic damage and cause type 3c diabetes.
Common Early Warning Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes
1. Frequent Urination
People with diabetes often experience increased urination because their kidneys work harder to eliminate excess sugar. So, if you find yourself running to the bathroom frequently (especially at night), it is essential to get yourself checked for diabetes.
2. Increased Thirst
If you are constantly thirsty even after drinking water, it could be a sign of diabetes. This occurs because your body cannot process sugar properly and needs more water to flush out excess sugar from your system. This can cause frequent urination, leading to dehydration and making you feel thirsty more often.
3. Unexplained Weight Loss
Losing weight without trying or changing your diet could be a sign of diabetes. This happens because your body cannot get enough glucose from your food to generate energy, so it will start breaking down your fat and muscle stores for energy.
4. Persistent Weakness and Fatigue
When your body does not get enough fuel (glucose) for energy, it can lead to continuous fatigue and weakness, which may affect your daily activities. Additionally, constant urination due to dehydration can cause exhaustion.
5. Poor or Blurred Vision
If you experience sudden vision changes in one or both eyes, it is essential to get yourself checked for diabetes. High blood sugar levels can cause changes in the fluid levels in your eyes or damage their blood vessels, leading to blurry vision. If left untreated, it can lead to permanent damage, causing more severe complications – even blindness.
6. Increased Hunger
When you consume food, your body converts it into glucose which provides energy to your cells. However, if you have diabetes, your cells cannot absorb glucose efficiently, thereby producing insufficient energy from the food you consume. As a result, your body is constantly searching for fuel, and you may experience constant hunger pangs even after having a meal.
7. Slow Healing Wounds and Cuts
High blood sugar levels can damage your nerves and blood vessels, leading to poor circulation. When you have poor circulation, your wounds, cuts, and bruises will not get enough oxygen and nutrients they require for proper healing. As a result, you will experience slow healing, which can also increase your risk for infection.
8. Tingling or Numbness in the Hands or Feet
Nerve damage and poor circulation caused by high blood sugar levels can lead to numbness, pain, or tingling in your hands and feet. If you experience these symptoms, it is essential to get yourself checked for diabetes.
9. Skin Discoloration
Diabetes can cause dark patches on your skin, especially around your neck, groin, and armpits. This happens due to insulin resistance, leading to excess insulin in your blood.
10. Repeat Infections
High sugar levels in the urine can serve as food for bacteria and yeast. The combination of food and a warm, damp environment creates an ideal habitat for the growth and reproduction of these microorganisms. That is why people with diabetes, particularly women, may frequently get yeast or urinary tract infections.
Diabetes Diagnosis and Treatment in Pineville, NC
The team at Carolina Medical Associates can help you achieve a healthy lifestyle, whether you’ve already been diagnosed with diabetes or are experiencing early warning signs of diabetes. Although diabetes can be a chronic condition, we can manage it easily with proper care and the right lifestyle changes. That’s why we offer diabetes management in Pineville, NC for diabetes prevention and treatment.
Our Pineville family doctors, Dr. Avinash D. Shah and Dr. Maher S. Agha, will conduct examinations to determine your overall health and spot the symptoms of diabetes that may be sneaking up on you. Then, they will customize your treatment to fit your specific needs so that you can continue your life without worry.
Take charge of your health! Schedule an appointment today and get started on your journey to achieving a long and healthy life.
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