Type 1 Diabetes
Diabetes type 1 is a chronic condition that is also known as insulin_dependent or juvenile diabetes. In this type of diabetes our pancreas produces less amount of insulin or no insulin at all. Insulin is a hormone that our body requires to allow sugar(glucose) to enter the cells where it is converted into energy.
Symptoms :
Symptoms of diabetes type 1 can appear suddenly which including:
. You will feel thirsty all the time
. Frequently urinating
. Feeling hungry most of the time
. mood swings
. You will start losing weight without even trying
. Feeling tired and exhausted
. Blurry vision
. Fatigue
. Vaginal infection
When is the right time to see Doctor?
Keep a close check and if you notice any of these symptoms, consult with your doctor right away.
Causes :
There are still no significant causes found for type 1 diabetes. However most common cause is when our immune system itself starts destroying insulin cells in our pancreas. Other common causes are:
. It can happen genetically
. When your body is exposed to viruses or any other environmental factors
Function of Insulin:
Insulin is a hormone in our body that is generated by the pancreas( A gland present behind and below in our stomach).
Pancreas produce insulin and release it in our bloodstream.It travels in the body and all in sugar to enter our cells where it is converted into a form of energy. Once the sugar level in our body is lower, the pancreas will release less insulin into bloodstream.
When our own immune system destroys the islet cells in our body, then pancreas will stop releasing any insulin.
Diagnosis:
Type 1 diabetes is easy to diagnose. If you start developing any of the above mentioned symptoms then your doctor will prescribe the following tests:
- Blood glucose test
- Glycosylated haemoglobin test (A1c)
- Antibody test
- Urine test
- Basic metabolic panel
- Arterial blood gas
Risk factor:
There are a few factors that can increase your risk for type 1 diabetes
- Genetic: You can develop type 1 diabetes genetically, that is if you have certain genes in your system
- Family History: If you have any family member(parent or sibling) with type 1
diabetes history, then you are highly at risk for developing this disease. - Age: There is no specific age for developing this disease, but the most
common peaks that are being noticed occur in children are between 4 to 7 years an between 7 to 14 years. - Geography: People who travel away from the equator are more at risk ofdeveloping this disease.
Complications:
Type 1 diabetes can be complicated with passing and also can damage main organs in your body, such as Heart, eyes, kidneys, nerves and blood vessels.
You can overcome these complications by maintaining sugar level in your body. If you do not pay attention or consult to the doctor at the right time, these complications can cause major problems like disabilities in your body and sometimes can lead you to life threatening issues.
• Neuropathy (nerve damage):
Capillaries (tiny blood vessels) in our nervous system are used to feed the nerves
that can easily be damaged if we have too much sugar in our bloodstream. In this
condition, you will feel numbness, tingling or pain. Usually this process starts from
the tip of the toes or fingers, then it start spreading upward.
• Nephropathy ( kidney damage):
There are millions of tiny blood vessels present in our kidneys that stop the food wastage from entering our blood. If we have high blood sugar, these vessels can be damaged, which can lead to kidney failure.
• Eye damage:
Our retina( part of the eye used to detect light) also consists of many tiny vessels. In type 1 diabetes, these vessels can be destroyed, which can cause blindness. Some other serious eye conditions can also happen, such as Glaucoma or cataract.
• Heart and blood vessel disease:
In type 1 diabetes Risk of some serious problems related to the heart and blood vessels increases such as stroke, heart attack, coronary artery disease, Angina (chest pain), High Blood pressure and Atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries).
• Foot damage:
In type 1 diabetes, there are chances that we have poor blood flow towards the feet which can damage the nerves in feet. You can experience some infections such as untreated cuts or blisters which can only be cured by amputation.
• Pregnancy Complications:
Type 1 diabetes can also be dangerous in pregnancy as high blood level can be life threatening for both baby and mother. There are high chances of stillbirth, miscarriage and birth defects if you are unable to maintain sugar level during pregnancy.
Skin Conditions
Some skin issues are also common in Type 1 diabetes for example, dry mouth, fungal infection, bacterial infection and gum disease.
Preventions:
Currently, there is no cure for type 1 diabetes, but researchers and experts are working on how they can prevent further damage of islet cells.
You can prevent the high risks of this disease by maintaining healthy lifestyle, eating healthy food and keeping sugar level in control.