Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes in Vacaville
Diabetes melitus is a group of metabolic diseases that can be distinguished by high blood sugar levels that's caused by defects in insulin secretion, its action, or both. Chiropractors in Vacaville know that during the ancient times, diabetes was first associated as a disease that is linked with "sweet urine," and excessive muscle loss. When there is an increase in blood glucose levels, the excess will then spill into the urine, which is why it is called sweet urine.
Blood glucose levels are controlled by insulin, which is a hormone created in the pancreas. Insulin is responsible for lowering the blood glucose level. When there is an increase in blood glucose levels, the pancreas will produce insulin to normalize the glucose level by promoting the uptake of glucose into body cells. Diabetics experience a lack of response to insulin which causes hyperglycemia. Diabetes is also classified as a chronic medical condition, which means that it can be controlled but it can last a lifetime.
Diabetes facts in Vacaville
- When your sugar levels are becoming abnormally high, then you will suffer from a chronic condition known as diabetes. The pancreas produces insulin which is helpful in lowering blood glucose levels. When little or no insulin is produced, then that's when diabetes will set in.
- There are two types of diabetes, which are known as type 1 and type 2. These conditions were used to be called insulin-dependent and non-insulin dependent diabetes, or juvenile onset and adult-onset diabetes.
- There are several risk factors that one could get diabetes such as being overweight or obese, a family history of diabetes, living a sedentary lifestyle, high blood pressure (hypertension), and low levels of "good" cholesterol (HDL) and elevated triglyceride levels in the blood.
- Contact a health-care professional right away as soon as you feel like you have prediabetes or diabetes.
Symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- Fatigue
- Hunger
- Excessive thirst
- Weight loss
- Skin problems
- Yeast infections
- Increased urine output
- Slow-healing wounds
- Numbness or tightness in the feet or toes
Early signs and symptoms of diabetes
- An untreated diabetes will make a person have elevated blood sugar levels and loss of glucose in the urine. Urine that contains high amounts of glucose will increase urine output and can cause dehydration.
- The dehydration will increase your thirst and water consumption.
- Absolute or relative insulin deficiency will lead to weight loss.
- Diabetes patients can often feel fatigued.
- Diabetes can increase the appetite of a person, but they still experience weight loss.
- Fluctuations in blood glucose levels can cause a blurry vision.
- Nausea and vomiting are very common in untreated diabetes.
- When the glucose levels are extremely elevated, it may lead to coma and lethargy.
- Untreated or poorly controlled diabetes can make people prone to frequent infections.
What is type 1 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is a type of autoimmune disease, where the immune system will use antibodies and inflammatory cells to attack the body's healthy tissues. In the case of type 1 diabetes, the beta cells of the pancreas are attacked by the malfunctioning immune system.
When your body is exposed to certain viral infections or other environmental toxins, it could make the antibodies attack the pancreas cells where insulin is created. The antibodies found in type 1 diabetes includes anti-insulin antibodies, anti-islet cell antibodies, and anti-glutamic decarboxylase antibodies. These antibodies are easily found in most patients, and it's an indicator if the person is at risk for developing type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is common among young, lean individuals but it can also occur on older patients as well. This subgroup is classified as Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA). LADA is known for being a slow, progressive form of type 1 diabetes.
What is type 2 diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is previously known as Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM) or Adult-Onset Diabetes Mellitus. Type 2 diabetes patients can still produce insulin, but the production is more than enough for their body's needs. There are cases where the pancreas produces more than the normal quantity of insulin.
Apart from the problems with increased insulin resistance, the pancreas may also experience a defective and suboptimal release of insulin. In fact, there will be a steady decline of the insulin's beta cell production that will make glucose control even worse. Also, the patient's liver will continue producing glucose via the process called gluconeogenesis despite the increase in glucose levels. This is how a compromise happens in the control of gluconeogenesis.
Type 2 diabetes is common among individuals aging 30 years and up but there are also cases where people who are barely even in their teenage years who will experience this. These cases are usually a result of higher body weight, lack of exercise, and poor eating habits.
Genetics can be a major component for type 2 diabetes but one of the most significant risk factors for this is obesity. There is evidence which shows the direct link between obesity and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and this holds true between children and adults. The chance of developing diabetes doubles for every 20% increase over the desirable body weight.
In order to manage diabetes, you need to start focusing on your weight first. If you need some help on losing it, then Vacaville Weight Loss can provide you with a treatment plan for that. Just get in touch with Dr. Alex Tam of Vacaville to setup an appointment right away.
Diabetic neuropathy
When type 1 and type 2 diabetes become complicated, it will develop into something more serious like diabetic neuropathy. This is a nerve damage that's caused by a long time of high blood sugar levels. This is a condition that develops over time wherein it may even come up after several decades.
If you have diabetes and you're starting to experience other symptoms like numbness, pain, tingling, or weakness in your hands or feet, then you should see a doctor right away. This could be an indication that you have peripheral neuropathy. The dangerous thing about this is when you're not feeling any pain and ulcer starts developing on your foot.
When your peripheral neuropathy starts getting severe, you will be prone to injuries or infections. There are severe cases where your wounds will heal poorly, or the infection may cause amputation.
Diabetic neuropathy comes in many forms and it can affect different areas of the body, causing several symptoms. If you have diabetes, make sure to check your blood glucose levels regularly and get in touch with your doctor as soon as you experience neuropathy symptoms.
Manage neuropathy with chiropractic treatment
Chiropractic therapy can help reduce the symptoms associated with neuropathy and may even eliminate the condition completely. Some medications only mask the pain and the other symptoms while chiropractic targets the source of the problem to improve overall health and health ailments that may induce it.
Chiropractic targets the entire body as a unit including the nervous system, thus eliminating the condition itself instead of just the pain and numbness that comes with it. When the body is being treated for its overall health instead of just the problem, the symptoms of many other conditions may be reduced entirely.
While chiropractic can help reduce peripheral neuropathy symptoms, the condition itself could indicate that there's another major health disorder and that you need medical attention right away. In short, you need to see a specialist like Dr. Alex Tam of Absolute Integrative Physical Medicine to help you with your neuropathy. Here is a video testimonial of one of the patients that he's helped with this condition:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJ3gL9AHjC0
So, you'd better pick up the phone and get in touch with their office right away! Through this, diabetes complications like neuropathy won't further burden you and your health.
OFFICE HOURS
Monday
8:30am - 1:00pm
2:00pm - 7:00pm
Tuesday
9:00am - 1:00pm
2:00pm - 7:00pm
Wednesday
8:30am - 1:00pm
2:00pm - 7:00pm
Thursday
9:00am - 1:00pm
2:00pm - 7:00pm
Friday
Closed
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed
Absolute Integrative Physical Medicine
1490 Alamo Drive Suite B
Vacaville, CA 95687