Diabetes Symptoms and Treatment

  

Knowing your symptoms of diabetes is crucial to your management. You will need to avoid high sugar and empty calorie foods, and limit your intake of alcohol to one or two drinks a day. You should also try to stay active, aiming to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day. While exercising, be aware of the symptoms of low blood sugar and take the necessary steps to keep your blood sugar levels balanced. By following these tips, you can reduce your body mass index and manage your type 1 and type 2 diabetes naturally without medication.

Gestational diabetes

The first step to treating gestational diabetes is to monitor your blood glucose levels. Your doctor will likely recommend that you take a glucose tolerance test or glucose screening. During this test, your doctor will measure your blood sugar and other factors, including the baby's weight, gestational diabetes symptoms, and insulin needs. If you are not receiving proper insulin during pregnancy, you should discuss your diabetes with your doctor. Glucose is one of the main causes of gestational diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes

A person with type 1 diabetes needs to know the symptoms and treatments to prevent complications. If left untreated, the condition can lead to serious consequences, including organ failure, coma, and even death. The body's response to the condition is to burn fat to produce energy. Ketones are produced during this process. While a small amount is not harmful, ketones can alter the acidity of the blood, and if they are too high in the body, the condition is called diabetic ketoacidosis.

Insulin injections

Injection sites for insulin are usually the same as for other medications. Some people prefer to inject insulin into the belly, which is absorbed more quickly. Others prefer to inject insulin into the thighs. An evening dose is usually given into the thigh because the body absorbs less insulin at night. The location should be varied according to the amount of fat present in the area. For more information about injection sites, talk to your healthcare provider.

Ketones in the urine

If you have diabetes, you may be a candidate for a test to measure ketones in the urine. This test can be performed at home by using a urine collection container and test strip. The strips contain a color chart to help you determine the concentration of ketones. Before performing the test, it is recommended that you refrain from eating for several hours before taking a sample. The results of the test will depend on your age, gender, medications you are taking and your diet.

Getting diagnosed

Diabetes is a condition where you have high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia. If you have high blood sugar, it is imperative that you see a doctor right away. Children often experience these symptoms quickly and can develop type 1 diabetes very quickly. A pediatrician or physician may perform a blood glucose test to make a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Other symptoms of diabetes include increased thirst and frequent urination.

Treatment

While diabetes has long been associated with obesity, more people are discovering its symptoms as the disease progresses. One of the most common types of diabetes among the elderly is type 2, which is also linked to obesity. Type 2 diabetes is managed by measuring a person's blood sugar levels before and after eating, and may not require insulin. Lifestyle changes and regular physical activity are beneficial to people with diabetes, as well. However, diabetes should not be self-diagnosed.