Diabetes is a serious condition that most people struggle with. It is often seen as a lifelong condition that can quickly take a steep turn. Doctors often find it to be fatal as it affects both kids and adults in some cases teens. Mostly, it is difficult to control and maintain as well.
One of the primary steps one needs to take toward curbing this disease is creating awareness. This article aims to create some details about the kinds of diabetes that can affect humans. We will be talking about each of them and how they are known to affect us. Let’s read on to know more.
What Is Diabetes? How Common Is Diabetes?
Diabetes can be defined simply as a condition where the level of sugar in one’s blood is not controlled accordingly. In regular condition, one’s pancreas should be able to do it efficiently and is never even a cause of concern. But with diabetic patients, it is often an external task that involves a lot of care and attention.
The major symptoms of diabetes include thirst, headache, frequent urge to urinate, and weight loss. The patient may experience fatigue because they may not be able to produce sufficient energy for their body. Another characteristic is the loss of ability to heal wounds. It makes it difficult to wade through life being careful and even a shortcut could lead to gangrene and amputation.
What makes it complicated is the way it shows up in a person. Barring some, the symptoms are usually covert and need to be closely monitored. It can, however, be tested using blood cultures. The tests should be conducted to trace albumin, glucose tolerance, and hemoglobin.
Doctors believe that the condition could be controlled to an extent by cutting off the sugar, particularly the additive found in sweets. Nowadays it is also easy as there are many healthy alternatives available. Following are the various types of diabetes, their causes, and cures if any.
7 Types Of Diabetes
There are seven primary types of diabetes, which can be identified by reading on.
👉 Type 1 Diabetes
Insulin is produced by our body to regulate the blood sugar level. Sometimes the body develops an auto-immune condition where the cells in your body start attacking the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This makes it difficult for the body to regulate the sugar level and blood, leading to multiple problems.
Type 1 Diabetes is characterized by several symptoms and is often diagnosed in childhood or teens. The only way to prevent it from worsening is to take insulin injections regularly without fail.
👉 Type 2 Diabetes
Similar to the former, in type-2 diabetes the patient cannot produce enough insulin to fight off the sugar levels that keep on rising incessantly. The cells don’t develop enough insulin which makes the body vulnerable to glucose production.
This condition can be managed by tablets or making lifestyle changes. It is usually diagnosed during adulthood and can be due to many factors like family history and unhealthy lifestyle.
👉 Gestational Diabetes
This condition is usually seen in pregnant women. When one is pregnant the mother’s body starts working for two people. That is when the mother’s body ceases to produce insulin enough. This is when they develop gestational diabetes. It is managed through medicines and resolves on its own when the mother delivers the baby. But there is always a greater chance that the mother could develop Type-2 after a while.
👉 Maturity Onset Diabetes Of The Young
This form of diabetes is not considered conventional. That is because they are often diagnosed as a result of gene mutation. According to researchers, it could have various subtypes depending on the gene that has undergone mutation.
As its name suggests, it is identified in adults before age 25. The pregnant mother can know the possibility of developing a baby with one by genetic testing. In case, it develops later in life, you can always continue with oral medications and not injections.
👉 Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus
Again a product of genetic mutations, this kind has always piqued the researcher’s interest. Neonatal diabetes mellitus is because diabetes is diagnosed in the first six months of life. In some cases, the baby could be healthy as it develops and it is only a temporary condition. However, there are also cases where it remains permanent. It is easily manageable with the help of medications or injections.
👉 Wolfram Syndrome
Also a result of genetic mutation, this condition not only leaves the person diabetic but also suffering from damage to the nerves of the eye. People with Wolfram syndrome are also seen suffering from some form of neurological disabilities like autism.
It is often caused by the mutation of the gene WFS1. Unfortunately, it comes without a cure and could be life-threatening. This is because the person suffers from multiple organ failures which could shorten their lifespan and also cause pain. Moreover, there is no cure for the disease.
👉 Alstrom Syndrome
This is also characterized by several organ failures including diabetes and is often known to be a genetic disorder. It is known to be a result of the mutation of gene ALMS1 and causes problems in vision, auditory, and cardiac as well as the hormone dispersion system. There is no single cure for the disease and is known to be treated with multiple medications for each condition that rears its ugly head during the person’s lifetime.
Also Check:- What Causes Low Blood Sugar Without Diabetes| Hypoglycemia Without Diabetes
Sum Up
With the classification, we have come to know how diabetes can affect you at different walks of your life. In any case, it is bound to be present for the rest of your life. While Types 1 and 2 are known to be managed, the other ones are often overlooked. There isn’t awareness about the disease like Wofram Syndrome which can damage the whole life of the person.
Most importantly, it has no cure and therefore makes the condition more dangerous than ever. If you are someone with diabetes, you should be careful about the way you conduct your life. In case the condition is genetic, you should try and live a healthy lifestyle by avoiding smoking and exercising.
References
- Diabetes basics. (2021).
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/index.html - Type 1 diabetes. (n.d.).
https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes/type-1 - Type 2 diabetes. (n.d).
https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes/type-2 - What is diabetes? (2016).
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes
