Diabetes Specialist

What are the different types of diabetes?

There are two main types of diabetes, though each one involves your body’s improper production of insulin. Either your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it doesn’t know how to properly process it. In both cases, you run the risk of destabilizing your blood sugar levels.

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes refers to your body’s insufficient or nonexistent production of insulin. When this happens, it’s because your immune system is attacking healthy cells in your pancreas, causing it to falter when it comes to insulin production. Type 1 generally affects children and young adults.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 is the most common type of diabetes. It refers to when the body doesn’t know how to properly move sugar into your cells because of a resistance to insulin. Type 2 can affect people of all ages, though it’s most commonly diagnosed in middle-aged and older people.

Gestational diabetes

In addition to the two types of diabetes, women can also experience gestational diabetes during pregnancy.  Gestational diabetes typically goes away naturally after the pregnancy is over. However, women who have had gestational diabetes are at increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.  

What are the common symptoms of diabetes?

Diabetes exhibits a series of universal symptoms, though each type of diabetes affects people differently. The most common symptoms of diabetes include, but are not limited to:

• Vision changes
• Bladder issues
• Hunger
• Weight loss
• Thirst
• Dry skin
• Fatigue
• Tingling/numbness in the feet and hands
• Slow-healing sores

You might be suffering from diabetes if you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms. Dr. Gandhi recommends that you get in touch as soon as possible for a diabetes evaluation. 

What are the risks of diabetes?

If left untreated, diabetes can lead to severe complications including heart, dental, and kidney disease. You might also suffer from nerve and joint damage and vision complications. In rare but possible situations, untreated diabetes can cause a stroke, even death.

How is diabetes treated?

At Medinet Family Care Clinic, Dr. Gandhi can recommend a series of treatment options depending on the type of diabetes you’ve been diagnosed with.

If you’ve been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, Dr. Gandhi can help you schedule regular insulin injections or give you an insulin pump that administers insulin to your body throughout the day.

Type 2 diabetes treatment involves more general lifestyle changes. Dr. Gandhi helps you craft an individualized daily regimen that includes a combination of regular exercise, a healthy diet, and medication to regulate your blood sugar levels.

Don’t take diabetes lightly. Get in touch with Dr. Gandhi today by phone or online to find out more about how you can live a long and healthy life with diabetes.