Diabetes affects millions of people worldwide, the more that each individual understands about the differences between the type 1 and type 2 diabetes conditions, the more they can be helped.
What is Diabetes
Diabetes is a metabolism disorder in which the pancreas is either not producing enough insulin (or any insulin) in response to sugar entering the body or where the body has stopped responding to the insulin production and the sugar is being passed through the body without being broken down, resulting in higher than normal blood sugar readings.
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes, what used to be called insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), is typically seen (to be diagnosed) in people who are under 30 years of age. This is where the pancreas has stopped producing enough insulin for the patient. Insulin injections are then the course of treatment.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes, what used to be called non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), is typically seen (to be diagnosed) in people who are over 40 years of age. This is where the body stops responding correctly to the pancreas producing insulin. Course of treatment for this include oral medication, diet, exercise, and sometimes insulin injections.
Diabetes Symptoms
There are two ranges of common symptoms for diabetics, depending on the type.
- Type 1 diabetic symptoms – These include increased thirst, extreme hunger, frequent urination, weight loss that has no explanation, weakness, and body fatigue.
- Type 2 diabetic symptoms – These include increased thirst, frequent urination, blurry vision, slow healing sores, irritability, tingling in hands or feet, and bladder/vaginal/skin infections that occur frequently.
Any of these aren’t indicative of diabetes. In fact a patient can have all of these symptoms and not have diabetes, but a test should always be given and monitored just in case.
What Diabetes Affects
Diabetes is a full systemic condition that affects the heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. People with diabetes should get cardiac and kidney function tests with regularity, and check their feet for signs of disease, as with the circulation issues there may be sores that aren’t healing without the diabetic aware of it.
Diabetes cases have grown from roughly one million cases in 1958 to over 11 million in 2000. Lack of exercise and improper diet are two of the main causes for this increase. Exercise can help keep a type 2 diabetic off insulin and can help a type 1 diabetic enhance his/her circulation and control his/her blood sugar from rising and falling. Make sure to keep a close eye on the levels and adjust routines accordingly.
