Diabetes is, fortunately, a condition that you can manage primarily with lifestyle changes, but it puts you at risk for several serious health complications. At Family Medicine Associates, PC, in Thornton, Colorado, the team of general family practitioners helps you manage your diabetes to avoid complications like neuropathy and vision loss. To learn more, call the office to schedule an appointment or book online today.
Diabetes is a metabolic condition that causes high blood sugar, which can damage various tissues in your body if you don’t manage it. It stems from either insufficient or nonexistent insulin, a hormone that comes from your pancreas and facilitates the transfer of glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells, which use it as energy.
There are three different types of the condition:
Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed during childhood. It comes from a problem with your immune system, which attacks the pancreatic cells that produce insulin and stops its production.
Type 2 diabetes develops when your body resists the insulin it has. This type is closely associated with your lifestyle and diet.
More similar to Type 2 than Type 1, gestational diabetes only lasts for the duration of pregnancy. If you get it, you’re more at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later.
Diabetes comes with many possible symptoms, which tend to worsen the longer you go without treating or managing your condition. A few warning signs are:
Symptoms like these can have countless possible causes, so it’s important to visit your family provider to find out what’s going on. The team at Family Medicine Associates, PC, diagnoses diabetes with comprehensive evaluations and blood tests.
It’s possible to manage your diabetes and eliminate the risk of developing complications from high blood sugar, including ulcers and neuropathy. The main treatment for Type 1 diabetes (which not all individuals with Type 2 diabetes need) is supplemental insulin. The team tells you if you need to take long- or short-acting insulin and advises you on how to take it.
Everyone with diabetes should adopt healthy diet and lifestyle changes to manage the condition. The team at Family Medicine Associates, PC, helps you examine your current diet and develop eating habits that are better for you. They also encourage you to get regular, moderate exercise.
Additionally, you might need to take other medications to lower your blood sugar. This is usually only necessary if you cannot effectively control your Type 2 diabetes with diet and lifestyle changes alone.
To learn more about diabetes and the strategies you can use to manage it, call Family Medicine Associates, PC, or book an appointment online today.