Diabetes

What are the different types of diabetes?

Innovative Medical Group treats all types of diabetes, including:

Type 1 diabetes

Also called juvenile diabetes, this type causes your immune system to attack the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas. Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar. Without it, your blood sugar levels spike.

Type 2 diabetes

This type of diabetes causes insulin resistance, meaning your pancreas produces insulin, but your cells don’t use it properly. Like Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 causes sugar to build up in your bloodstream, resulting in nerve damage and other serious problems.

Gestational diabetes

This type of diabetes occurs during pregnancy. It happens when the body produces hormones designed to protect the growing baby. Most cases of gestational diabetes resolve after birth, but the condition may increase your risk of Type 2 diabetes.

Prediabetes

Prediabetes causes your blood sugar to remain abnormally high but not enough to be considered diabetes. When caught early on, it’s possible to keep prediabetes from worsening or even reverse it.

What are the symptoms of diabetes?

Diabetes symptoms include:

• Increased urination, especially at night
• Extreme thirst
• Extreme hunger
• Fatigue
• Blurry vision
• Unexplained weight loss

As the disease worsens, you might experience symptoms of nerve damage, such as tingling and numbness or weakness in your hands and/or feet.

How is diabetes diagnosed?

Your Innovative Medical Group provider diagnoses diabetes during a physical exam. They review your medical records, ask about your symptoms, and complete a head-to-toe assessment. 

Your provider also orders lab work, including a glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test. An A1C test measures your average blood sugar during the last three months. You have diabetes if your A1C levels are 6.5% or higher on two tests.

How is diabetes treated?

Diabetes treatment varies depending on the type you have and the severity of your symptoms. Usually, Innovative Medical Group recommends a mix of healthy lifestyle changes and prescription medication. 

For example, if you have Type 1 diabetes, you must take prescription insulin. Insulin keeps your blood sugar within the normal range and reduces your risk of common complications, including circulation problems and nerve damage. 

Likewise, your provider recommends eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and managing stress. If you have other health problems, like high blood pressure, that increase your risk of diabetes complications, they treat those as well. 

Call Innovative Medical Group today to schedule diabetes treatment, or book your appointment online.