Diabetes Day: these are the symptoms that can help you differentiate the types

Diabetes is a condition that affects the way your body uses sugar. If left untreated, it can lead to serious health complications, including blindness, kidney failure, and even death. But with early detection and treatment, there’s a good chance you can manage diabetes and live a long and healthy life. In order to help you identify the symptoms of diabetes, we have put together this list of 8 signs to watch for. If you or someone you know suffers from any of these symptoms, don’t hesitate to see your doctor for a diagnosis and proper treatment.

What is Diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Without insulin, people with type 1 diabetes can’t absorb glucose from food or drink, leading to a range of complications.

Type 2 diabetes is caused by obesity, genetics, age, and other factors. With type 2 diabetes, the body produces too much sugar (glucose) and doesn’t use insulin properly to regulate blood sugar levels. As a result, blood sugar levels can get too high over time and lead to health problems such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure.

Types of Diabetes

There are three types of diabetes: type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. Here’s a breakdown of each:

Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which your body attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in your pancreas. This means you can no longer produce insulin, which is essential to regulate blood sugar levels. Without regular blood sugar control from insulin, your body will consume more energy than it needs and can lead to serious health problems, such as blindness, kidney failure, and even death.

Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. It’s caused by obesity or a lack of exercise coupled with a high level of cholesterol or triglycerides. When these fats build up in the liver, they block the ability of the pancreas to produce insulin – leading to elevated blood sugar levels.

Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is a temporary condition that develops during pregnancy due to the changing hormone levels in a woman’s body. Normally, the hormone progesterone helps control blood sugar levels by keeping them steady between meals. But during pregnancy, progesterone levels rise which can cause blood sugar levels to spike throughout the day – especially after eating. If left untreated, gestational diabetes can lead to full blown type 2 diabetes later on in life if not treated correctly.

Symptoms of Diabetes

There are many symptoms of diabetes, but these are the most common:

1. increased thirst and urination
2. weight loss even when eating normal foods
3. fatigue
4. frequent infections, such as colds or flu
5. vision problems, such as blurry vision or blindness
6. nerve damage, such as numbness or tingling in hands and feet
7. kidney failure

How to Test for Diabetes

If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, it’s important to visit your doctor for an examination and diagnosis:

• frequent urination or thirst
• unexplained weight loss or gain
• extreme tiredness or weakness
• blurred vision or a change in eyesight

Treatment of Diabetes

There are many types of diabetes, each with its own symptoms. If you are not sure whether you have diabetes, or if you have been diagnosed with a different type of diabetes, talk to your doctor.

If you have diabetes and are having symptoms such as high blood pressure, problems with your vision, kidney problems, nerve damage, or heart disease, see your doctor. The presence of any one of these symptoms can help you differentiate between types of diabetes.

If you are being treated for diabetes and have high blood sugar levels but do not have any other signs or symptoms of the different types of diabetes, your doctor may prescribe medications such as insulin or oral medications such as metformin.

Prevention of Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic, life-threatening disease that affects the way your body uses glucose. There are three types of diabetes: Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes mellitus. Symptoms depend on the type of diabetes you have.