Insulin hormone deficiency has been a disease known to mankind since ancient times, but despite this and the rapid development of medical technology, it is extremely difficult to gain new knowledge about the disease at an early stage. Many patients are unaware of the presence of diabetes mellitus, attributing the symptoms to hormonal changes in the body and other diseases. Diabetes negatively affects health and metabolic processes, so early detection and timely initiation of treatment is extremely important.
What is diabetes mellitus?
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic endocrinological disease caused by a lack of insulin. The hormone synthesized by the pancreas is involved in breaking down sugar and transporting glucose through the blood to the organ tissues to provide additional energy to the body. In the case of insulin deficiency, the sugar level rises significantly, which has a negative effect on the whole body.
Causes of the disease
The disease most often occurs in the presence of the following causes or preconditions:
- Hereditary predisposition, especially if the father suffers from diabetes, is much more likely to develop the disease in children than if the disease was detected in the mother.
- Malnutrition - Abuse of foods high in calories, glucose and carbohydrates.
- With the presence of overweight and the second and subsequent stages of obesity, the likelihood of developing diabetes mellitus increases by 80%.
- Lack of physical activity, low human activity.
- Frequent experiences of stressful situations or prolonged depression. A severe shock or nervous breakdown can also provoke illness.
- Long-term use of certain classes of drugs, such as hormonal, diuretic, or choleretic.
- Presence of viral infection in the body (chickenpox, influenza, rubella).
Symptoms of the disease
The warning signs of the disease are as follows:
- Constant feeling of thirst that does not go away even after heavy drinking.
- Frequent urination, especially at night. This causes some inconvenience and inconvenience, violating the established lifestyle.
- Urine droplets remain on the canvas, reminiscent of traces of dried starch when dried (white and thick spots).
- The person complains of fatigue and drowsiness.
- Vision decreases sharply, all objects are blurred.
- It is often accompanied by a tingling and numb feeling, especially in the palms and soles.
- Slow and very poor healing of wounds, even the smallest and most insignificant wounds.
- The patient is concerned about the itching, which is particularly intense in the lumbar region.
- Sudden weight loss for no other obvious reason.
- Strong hunger that is hard to quench.
It is important to note that many symptoms occur when there is a lack of insulin in the body and irreversible processes have started in the production of hormone by the pancreas. It is extremely difficult to determine in the early stages of the disease, so 80% of patients are unaware of the presence of the disease.
Types of diabetes
There are two types of diabetes mellitus that, despite some similarities, have characteristic differences.
- Type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent) is a disease characterized by the destruction of beta cells in the pancreas, the main role of which is to produce insulin. As a result of this process, hormone deficiency occurs, which triggers diabetes. The causes of the disease include a violation of the immune system, the presence of a viral infection in the human body. Usually, this type of disease affects children and adolescents. The only treatment for the disease for the rest of your life is regular insulin injections.
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a disease that affects people over the age of thirty and is caused by a lack of detection of cells and organs in the body and tissues of the insulin produced by the pancreas. Due to the body's inadequate response to the hormone, glucose builds up in the blood and triggers negative processes in the body. In case of premature treatment, insulin production is completely stopped, as increased blood sugar levels adversely affect beta cells and contribute to their destruction.
Diagnosis of diabetes
To diagnose the disease, you should contact the clinic to see an endocrinologist who specializes in the disease. The following procedures and tests shall be performed for the test:
- Fasting blood test to determine blood sugar. In some cases, when a patient is at risk for the disease, a stress test is performed to determine glucose tolerance.
- Carry out a urine sugar test and determine its level. A urine test for the presence of acetone can also be performed.
- It is also important to perform an analysis for the implantation of glycated hemoglobin, which will help determine the average blood sugar level over the past three months.
- It is important to note that diabetes is a chronic disease that cannot be cured, so regular maintenance therapy is needed to maintain a normal condition.
Treatment of the disease
The main treatment for type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent) is regular insulin injections. Thanks to modern medical devices, injections have become much easier to use, using insulin pumps and pens. The dose of insulin is adjusted individually for each patient and it is not recommended to change it yourself. The amount of insulin depends on the blood sugar level, the presence of other comorbid conditions (such as obesity) and the patient's lifestyle.
In case of incomplete pancreatic insufficiency, your doctor may prescribe medications that can stimulate the production of the hormone in the human body. Other classes of medicines that can stop insulin resistance and help maintain human health can be used to eliminate the body's insulin resistance. An important factor is to follow a special diet in which foods with minimal sugar and carbohydrate content are selected and the function of the pancreas is stimulated.
Disease prevention
To prevent the development of the disease, it is important to follow the recommendations of the endocrinologist, which will help maintain health and do not fall into the risk group. The preventive methods are:
- Regular monitoring of blood sugar levels is especially recommended for those at risk. People over the age of forty should have this test done regularly, at least twice a year.
- Changing eating habits, switching to a balanced diet, predominantly healthy foods - low glucose fruits, vegetables, fish, lean meats. In addition, it is recommended to follow a diet and divide the food intake into three equal meals and several snacks.
- Perform simple physical exercises daily to help normalize weight and reduce the likelihood of developing diabetes.
- Normalization of weight, which helps reduce the likelihood of developing the disease.