There are proper medical ways of diagnosing diabetes. Self testing and diagnosing is discouraged as this might do more harm than good to the patient. Always seek the help and opinion of medical practitioners to ensure proper medication and treatment.
What is diabetes? Medically referred as diabetes mellitus, this is the metabolic illness caused by the inability of the body to absorb and process glucose. Due to lack or ineffectiveness of insulin in the body, sugar level is uncontrollable. The most common type of diabetes is the one that is due to the inefficacy of insulin in the body developed during adulthood or the Type 2 diabetes. The type of diabetes that usually afflicts the young is the Type 1 diabetes and this is mainly due to the body’s failure to naturally produce insulin.
Nine out of every ten diabetics have Type 2 diabetes. Most of the causes are coming from unhealthy lifestyles and indulgence of fatty foods. The most notable complication of the Type 2 diabetes is the rare and extremely painful diabetic amyotrophy. Below are the most common contributing factors in developing the disease:
1. Obesity 2. Unhealthy diet 3. Inactive lifestyle 4. Smoking 5. Abusive drug use 6. Excessive alcohol intake
It takes a while to fully develop Type 2 diabetes. Symptoms that may indicate the disease as well as the need of diagnosing diabetes are the following:
1. Insatiable hunger and thirst 2. Fatigue 3. Dry mouth 4. Gradual blindness 5. Yeast infections 6. Pestering sores, blisters and wounds 7. Frequent urination 8. Darkening of the skin around the groin area, armpits and neck 9. Drastic weight gain or loss
The most common medical procedures of diagnosing diabetes are:
1. Fasting Plasma Glucose Test – FPG is also known as fasting blood glucose test. This is the most convenient medical test and is usually the initial testing done. A fasting period of at least eight hours is required prior to taking blood samples. Glucose levels that are 99mg for every decilitre of blood are considered healthy. 100-125mg levels are classified pre-diabetes stage and over 125mg of glucose in the blood is already a case of diabetes. Further test will be needed to confirm the diagnosis.
2. Oral Glucose Tolerance Test – The OGTT is the confirmatory test of diagnosing diabetes. If done properly, test results are highly accurate and reliable. More than the required fasting period, the test also necessitates the patient to be in good health, cases of flu or simple colds will be not be allowed. In addition to solid food, coffee, fruit juices and any sweetened drinks, smoking is also restricted. For OGTT, glucose is introduced to the body before timed intervals of blood samples will be taken. The blood sample taken at the 2hr interval should indicate below 140mg glucose. 140-199mg is an indication of pre-diabetes, while 200mg of glucose level is indicative of diabetes.
Patients in the pre-diabetes bracket are in heightened risk of acquiring Type 2 diabetes. With proper care, healthier lifestyle and following the type 2 diabetes diet and eating foods low in cholesterol, this can still be prevented. If symptoms persist, diagnosing diabetes as soon as possible will facilitate early and more effective treatments.
