How diabetes manifests itself, its causes and prevention methods

Diabetes mellitus is considered the most common endocrine disease. Improper diet, lack of physical activity and hereditary predisposition - these factors increase the risk of its occurrence. Today, about 347 million people around the world suffer from pathology. In the last two decades, the number of cases has increased tenfold. If detected in the early stages, serious complications can be avoided. Therefore, it is important to know how diabetes manifests itself.

Causes of diabetes and its types

Diabetes mellitus is a disease characterized by a disturbance in the body's metabolism. It is associated with insufficient production of the hormone insulin by the pancreas. Its deficiency leads to the accumulation of sugar in the body.

Normally, it must be processed into glucose due to the action of insulin. This process is accompanied by malaise and other symptoms. The sugar itself is excreted in large volumes with the urine, which leads to gradual dehydration and a constantly haunting feeling of thirst.

The exact causes of the disease have not been studied until now. However, doctors identify a group of factors that increase the risk of its occurrence.

1. hereditary predisposition.
2. Overweight.
3. Pathologies of the pancreas (cancer, pancreatitis).
4. Exposure to viruses (influenza, rubella, and smallpox are especially dangerous).
5. Frequent stress.
6. Advanced age.

The classic classification of the disease provides for the attribution of its two forms: type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. The first option is considered the most dangerous and is lifelong. To maintain the normal state of the body, it is necessary to constantly inject insulin intramuscularly. In the second type, the body produces this hormone, but not in the required amount.

There are also the following types of diabetes: gestational, tasteless, steroid, latent, autoimmune, bronze. Each of the forms is characterized by its own clinical picture and course features.

How does type 1 and type 2 diabetes manifest itself?

Diabetes is an insidious disease. A person may not be aware of health problems for many years until they enter a hyperglycemic coma. Therefore, it is important to know the main manifestations of the pathology, taking into account its variety.

Table 1. Manifestation of type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus

type of diabetes	Clinical condition
type 1 diabetes	Intense and constant thirst, difficult to quench with water. The patient may also experience dryness in the mouth and throat. Just drink a glass of water, as the urge to urinate appears immediately. Fast weight loss. In a month, you can lose 11 kg. Increased appetite. Due to hormonal disorders, water salt metabolism is disturbed, nutrients are difficult to digest. Frequent urge to urinate. The fluid just doesn't stay in the body. A patient can consume more than 2 liters of water a day, and the number of urges to go to the bathroom can increase by up to 10 times. Rapid fatigue, reduced performance. These symptoms are also characteristic of other diseases. Therefore, it is wrong to judge diabetes by them alone. Decreased temperature. Many mistakenly believe that only a high temperature indicates health problems. However, in diabetes, its decrease is possible due to the slowing down of all metabolic processes. Itchy skin. Dehydrated skin can develop cracks. Visual impairment. Numbness of the lower extremities. This is a very indicative symptom, which cannot be ignored. Later, it can turn into gangrene due to the fact that the peripheral nervous system suffers. Bad breath, reminiscent of acetone. Acetone is a protein breakdown product that should be utilized in a healthy body. In the case of diabetes, the substance remains, gradually poisoning all organs. Decreased sexual desire. Any hormonal disturbance is accompanied by a deterioration of libido.
Type 2 diabetes	Profuse urination. Be strong. Itchy skin. Increase in body weight against the background of hormonal disorders. development of osteoporosis. Muscle hypotension. Muscle weakness occurs due to disruption of the peripheral nervous system.

The clinical picture may differ slightly depending on the patient's age and sex.

Signs of the onset of diabetes in children

Recognizing pathology in children is easy. It is important to do this in a timely manner to prevent the development of a diabetic coma. It occurs spontaneously and can be fatal if the child does not receive medical attention.

The first signs of diabetes in children are:

1. Frequent and large amounts of urination. If the baby still goes to the pot, it is easy to identify this symptom. Problems with urination mostly occur at night. Parents often need to change diapers and bedding.
2. The child is constantly thirsty. If diabetes is suspected, jams and juices should be replaced with plain water. If in this case the thirst does not subside, you should consult a doctor.
3. Inconsistency in weight and amount of food consumed. The child eats a lot, but does not improve. Another option is also possible: the child eats little, but his body weight is growing rapidly.

In addition to these symptoms, diabetes can be manifested by itching, constant fatigue even after rest, and dry mouth.

The onset of diabetes in men

The clinical picture of the disease in men does not differ from the general one. However, inflammation of the foreskin, the entire urethra, can add to all the signs. This happens due to frequent urination. The concentration of sugar in the urine is quite high, which causes irritation of the tissues of the organ and the foreskin itself.

Diabetes disorders in women

In the fair sex, the onset of the disease is manifested as intense thirst, drowsiness and itching. However, the pathological process often affects the reproductive system, which is accompanied by the following symptoms:

1. Violation of the menstrual cycle. Bloody discharge may be completely absent for several months and then appear in the form of clots.
2. The appearance of ulcers on the mammary glands. They are often confused with allergies, but continuous treatment does not bring positive results.
3. Weight loss or gain for no apparent reason.

The last symptom is more common in women than others. With a high-calorie diet, patients can lose up to 10 kg of weight. On the other hand, when adhering to a strict diet, some, on the contrary, gain weight. Typically, such a violation is perceived as a malfunction of the hormonal system. Only after passing the tests, serious health problems are revealed.

Gestational diabetes symptoms

Gestational diabetes develops exclusively in pregnant women. It has no specific external features. It is usually detected during routine exams, which are regularly prescribed for women in position. The basis for diagnosis is the results of blood and urine tests.

The external manifestations of the disease practically do not differ from those of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. We are talking about nausea, weakness, constant thirst. These symptoms do not occur individually and do not indicate toxicosis. They mainly develop in the second and third trimesters.

The gestational form of the disease does not pose a direct threat to the woman and the fetus inside the uterus. However, the course of pregnancy can negatively affect your overall well-being. High glucose levels imply the birth of a child with a high weight (from 4 kg or more).

This is often considered a prerequisite for obesity and the onset of diabetes directly in the child. In some cases, there is a slight delay in development. Sometimes diagnosed with jaundice, hypoglycemia.

What to do if you have symptoms of diabetes?

If you suspect diabetes, you should not self-medicate or ignore early symptoms. This disease is within the competence of an endocrinologist. However, a therapist can make a diagnosis.

To determine the presence of a pathological process, in any case, you need to seek medical help. The specialist will first listen to the patient's complaints, study their medical history, and perform a physical exam. Only on the basis of these measurements can a preliminary diagnosis be made. To confirm it, you will need to pass a comprehensive exam.

Disease diagnosis

Any search for suspected diabetes is aimed at determining the blood glucose level.

Most of the time, patients are offered to have a blood test for sugar. Before delivery, you cannot eat for 8-12 hours. Alcohol is also prohibited. Better stop smoking. Normally, the glucose gauge should be 5. 5 mmol per liter. If this parameter is 7 units or more, an additional exam is assigned.

The patient is asked to undergo a glucose tolerance test. The analysis consists of several parts. First, the patient takes a standard fasting blood test. Then, in a medical unit, he drinks a glass of sugar water (75 g of the substance per 200 ml of water). After 2 hours, he takes a blood test again.

In a healthy person, the rate after the first study is up to 5. 5 mmol per liter, and after the second - up to 7. 8 mmol per liter. If these parameters are slightly exceeded (by a few tenths), the doctor will make a conclusion about the prediabetic condition. Indicators much higher than these numbers already indicate diabetes.

Some are prescribed a glycated hemoglobin analysis. With it, you can track your blood glucose status for the last 3 months. Typically, this value should be less than 5. 7%. With values in the range of 5. 7-6. 4%, there is a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

In this case, the patient should discuss with the doctor measures to prevent the disease. When the level of glycated hemoglobin is more than 6. 5%, diabetes is likely. However, confirmation by additional tests is required.

Possible complications

The disease itself does not pose a threat to human life, but is subject to the doctor's recommendations. Its complications are dangerous. Among them, the following are the most common:

1. Neuropathy. The pathology is manifested by burning, intense pain and numbness in the area of the lower extremities. It develops due to metabolic disorders in the central nervous system. Treatment involves taking medications with thioctic acid. With the timely search for medical help, the patient manages to restore nerve tissue.
2. diabetic coma. Your symptoms are growing rapidly. Therefore, the patient is immediately subject to hospitalization. At first, he may complain of darkening of the eyes, mental retardation. There are several varieties of this condition, but ketoacidosis is the most common. It is characterized by the accumulation of toxins in the body, which quickly destroy nerve cells.
3. Trophic ulcers. This is a serious pathology that significantly impairs the quality of human life. If therapy is not started in time, trophic ulcers can start to inflame.

Diabetes can also lead to other health problems. They manifest themselves in the form of disruption of the functioning of various organ systems (liver, kidneys, organs of vision).

diabetes prevention

First of all, it should be noted that the onset of type 1 diabetes is difficult to predict. The disease is predominantly hereditary. Various viruses increase the likelihood of its development.

Type 2 diabetes is much easier to prevent. Its occurrence depends directly on the quality of human life. Addictions, inactive lifestyle, alcohol abuse - all these factors can trigger the disease. Therefore, doctors give the following recommendations for its prevention:

1. Control body weight (try to eat properly and balanced).
2. Monitor your blood pressure and, if necessary, see a doctor for treatment.
3. Engage in challenging sports.
4. Treat diseases in a timely manner, especially those related to the endocrine system.

If you follow these simple guidelines, you can protect yourself from diabetes. A healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition is the key to the full functioning of the body.

Diabetes mellitus is a serious disease that primarily requires lifelong insulin intake. If you neglect your treatment, the pathological process can become more complicated and lead to quite unpleasant consequences.

Among the latter, diabetic coma, trophic ulcerations in the lower limbs and neuropathy stand out. To protect yourself from such problems, it is important to know the initial symptoms of the disease and, if they appear, immediately consult a doctor. After passing the exam, which mainly consists of evaluating blood glucose parameters, the specialist will be able to choose a therapy.