Diabetes Specialist

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a long-lasting condition that occurs when your blood sugar levels are too high. The condition develops when your body produces too little of the hormone insulin or doesn’t use it efficiently. Insulin helps transport glucose (sugar) that your body uses for energy. Without insulin, sugar builds in the blood, ultimately damaging your blood vessel walls. 

Managing your blood sugar levels is crucial with diabetes. Too much sugar in the blood can damage your blood vessels and vital organs, raising your risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage).

Are there different types of diabetes?

Four main types of diabetes can negatively impact your health:

Type 1 diabetes

When your body doesn’t produce insulin, Type 1 diabetes may develop. Most individuals receive a diagnosis during childhood, but symptoms can develop later in life. If you have Type 1 diabetes, you must take insulin every day.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes typically develops in adults, but it can also occur in children and teenagers. While anybody can get Type 2 diabetes, lifestyle factors, such as poor diet, excess weight, and inactivity, significantly increase your risk.

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes occurs in pregnant women. Although the condition is temporary and typically resolves after birth, gestational diabetes can increase your risk of Type 2 diabetes.

Prediabetes

If your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, you may have prediabetes. Without treatment, prediabetes can evolve into Type 2 diabetes. That’s why regular physical exams and bloodwork are important steps in preventing chronic diseases, such as diabetes.

What are the symptoms of diabetes?

How your diabetes symptoms manifest typically depends on the type you have and its progression. Common symptoms of diabetes include:

• Dry skin
• Fatigue
• Slow-healing wounds
• Frequent urination
• Increased hunger
• Unintended weight loss
• Blurred vision
• Tingling in the hands or feet
• Increased infections

Diabetes symptoms tend to worsen over time. By seeking treatment now, you can slow the disease’s progression.

What causes diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which your immune system attacks the cells in your pancreas that produce insulin. Physicians don’t know why the condition develops. Some of the most common causes of Type 2 diabetes include:

• High blood pressure
• A family history of diabetes
• Excess weight
• Older age
• Inactivity
• High cholesterol
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes also increases if you previously had gestational diabetes during pregnancy.

What are the treatments for diabetes?

The family medicine specialists at Clinica San Miguel offer all-inclusive care for diabetes that may include:

• Dietary changes
• Smoking cessation
• Increasing exercise
• Medication
• Blood sugar monitoring
• Insulin injections

To learn more about diabetes, call Clinica San Miguel or schedule an appointment online today.