Diabetes

What is diabetes?

Diabetes isn’t a single disease but several affecting your body’s ability to use blood sugar. No matter which type of diabetes you have, it causes high blood sugar. If your blood sugar stays high for extended periods, it increases your risk of other health problems, like heart disease, kidney disease, and nerve damage.

What are the types of diabetes?

The types of diabetes include:

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder that destroys the insulin-making cells in your pancreas. Without insulin to transport the sugar throughout your body, it builds up in your bloodstream.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes causes your cells to resist insulin. That means that your pancreas produces insulin, but your body doesn’t use it as it should.

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes is an uncontrolled spike in your blood sugar during pregnancy. It usually goes away after you give birth, but gestational diabetes can increase your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later.

What are the symptoms of diabetes?

The symptoms of diabetes include:

• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Increased thirst
• Extreme hunger
• Frequent urination
• Slow-healing sores
• Frequent infections
• Blurred vision

As the disease worsens, you might also experience unexplained weight loss.

How is diabetes diagnosed?

At Palm Desert Urgent Care, Dr. Kazi diagnoses diabetes during an in-office visit.

He reviews your medical records, asks about your symptoms, and does a physical exam. Then, he orders lab work, including a glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test. An A1C test measures your average blood sugar over the last few months. If you receive two or more A1C tests with a 6.7% or higher result, it means you have diabetes.

How is diabetes treated?

How diabetes is treated depends on several things, including your age, the type of diabetes that you have, and how severe your symptoms are.

If you have Type 2 diabetes, healthy lifestyle changes like exercising regularly, eating a nutritious diet, and maintaining a healthy weight could be enough to control your blood sugar. If you have Type 1 diabetes, prescription medication is necessary, including daily insulin injections.

Depending on your needs, Dr. Kazi could recommend:

• Insulin therapy
• Medication to stimulate your pancreas to produce more insulin
• Medication that inhibits the release of glucose from your liver
• Medication to increase your tissues’ sensitivity to insulin

If you’re severely overweight, Dr. Kazi could recommend bariatric surgery.

To explore the treatments for diabetes, make an appointment at Palm Desert Urgent Care by calling the office or booking online today.