Diabetes Care And Treatment

When your blood glucose level falls below average levels, the consequence is hypoglycemia or abnormally low blood sugar. The typical cause of this condition is either an overabundance of insulin or an inadequate diet. But, hypoglycemia can also be triggered in diabetics by a delay in eating a meal or as a result of over-stressing the body from too much exercise. Many people refer to hypoglycemia as “insulin shock” because of the extreme and sudden effect that it has on the body. Because hypoglycemia can possibly cause brain dysfunction and weakness, it is extremely important that those at risk learn to recognize it’s symptoms. Common symptoms are:

• Blanched and perspiring skin – at the first signs of hypoglycemia, the body begins producing and releasing epinephrine, also known as adrenaline. This is an attempt by the adrenal glands to raise the body’s blood sugar levels. High levels of the epinephrine hormone causes the skin to become pale.

• Rapid heart beat – adrenaline has many effects on the body. One effect is to cause the blood vessels to constrict and the heart to beat faster. The person may experience heart palpitations and a pounding heartbeat. Other symptoms caused by adrenaline flooding through the body can be trembling of the limbs, a tingling sensation in the hands, and a general sense of anxiety.

• Headaches – The brain, as do all of the major organs, needs glucose. A drop in blood sugar levels means that there is less glucose available to the brain. If there is only a slight drop in the glucose levels, the result may be a mild headache or double vision. A more severe drop, however, can lease to seizures. And an even greater drop can possibly lead to loss of consciousness, difficulty concentrating and confused speech or, in the worst case, lapsing into a coma.

• Extreme hunger – the body is always in a constant state of adjusting itself to various circumstances. When the blood sugar levels drop, the body instinctively knows that it needs food to get the levels up again. The way of letting us know that is to send hunger signals to the brain in an attempt to get us to eat. Once we eat, the blood glucose levels return to normal and the hunger subsides.

The above symptoms usually do not start to show until the blood glucose levels fall a fairly significant amount such as below 60 milligrams per deciliter of blood. Also, if the person is taking medications for symptoms other than diabetes, it’s important to be aware that some medications may mask some of these symptoms. In addition, not everyone has the same reactions to low blood sugar so they may naturally experience different symptoms.

It’s not unusual for someone diagnosed with diabetes to occasionally get hypoglycemia. In fact, diabetics may become very familiar with many of these symptoms as regulating the blood glucose levels with medicines, although pretty accurate, is not an exact science. And as the blood sugar levels return to normal, the symptoms will normally dissipate. Nevertheless, anyone experiencing any of the above conditions should ensure that their physician is aware of them.

Diabetes symptoms can sometimes be difficult to recognize. You could have diabetes for many years and not notice any symptoms. Being aware of potential symptoms can mean getting diabetes diagnosed early and receiving timely treatment — and of course better health.

Diabetes Symptoms include excessive thirst and increased urination: Drinking more and urinating more is an early sign of diabetes. When someone has diabetes, extra sugar (glucose) builds up in the blood.

If the kidneys are unable do the job, the excess sugar is passed into the urine along with liquids taken from the tissues. This stimulates more frequent urination, which may leave the sufferer dehydrated. As you drink more liquids to satisfy the thirst, you will need to use the toilet more.

Exhaustion: A person with diabetes may feel extremely tired and worn out. Lots of fundamentals can add to this including the dehydration from raised urination and the body’s unfitness to work properly, since taking sugar for energy is ineffective.

Weight Variation: Increased weight loss is also a possible diabetes symptom. When you lose sugar by urination, you lose calories.

Also, diabetes may prevent the sugar from the food from reaching the cells — leading to constant hungriness. The combined consequence is possible weight loss, particularly if you has type 1 diabetes.

Blurred vision: Diabetes symptoms sometimes affect the vision. A high content of blood sugar takes liquid from body tissue, including the lenses of the eyes. For most people, these early changes do not cause vision impairment. Nevertheless, if these changes advance unobserved, they can lead to sight loss and blindness. This is a type 2 diabetes symptom.

Slow-healing sores or frequent infections: Some people have noticed that bruises are more noticeable if they have diabetes. There has not been enough research done in this area. It could be the high level of blood sugar spoils the body’s natural healing process and the ability to combat infections. For women, bladder and vaginal infections are common.

Tingling hands and feet: Extra sugar in the blood can also cause nerve damage. You may feel a prickling sensation and loss of sense in the hands as well as feet, you could also feel a burning sensation in the arms, hands, legs and feet.