Insulin hormone deficiency is a disease that has been known to humans since ancient times, but despite this and the rapid development of medical technology, gaining new knowledge about the disease is very difficult to identify at an early stage. Many patients are unaware of the presence of diabetes mellitus, associating symptoms with hormonal changes in the body and other diseases. Diabetes mellitus has a negative impact on health and metabolic processes, so it is very important to identify as early as possible and start treatment on time.
What is diabetes mellitus?
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic endocrinological disease that develops as a result of insulin deficiency. Hormones synthesized by the pancreas are involved in the breakdown of sugar and the transport of glucose through the blood to organ tissues to supply the body with extra energy. In case of insulin deficiency, sugar levels increase significantly, which negatively affects the whole body.
Causes of disease development
The disease occurs most often in the presence of the following causes or prerequisites:
- Hereditary predisposition, in particular, if the father suffers from diabetes, the likelihood of developing the disease in the child is much higher than if the disease is observed in the mother.
- Improper nutrition - the abuse of foods high in calories, glucose and carbohydrates.
- The presence of overweight, and with the second and subsequent stages of obesity, the likelihood of developing diabetes mellitus increases by 80%.
- Lack of physical activity, low human activity.
- Frequent experience of stressful situations or prolonged depression. Severe shock or nerve damage can also trigger illness.
- Long-term use of drugs of certain groups, for example, hormones, diuretics or choleretics.
- The presence of viral infections in the body (chickenpox, influenza, rubella).
Symptoms of the disease
Warning signals that are evidence of the presence of disease include:
- Persistent thirst, which does not disappear even after drinking a lot.
- Frequent urination, especially at night. This causes some discomfort and inconvenience, violating the established way of life.
- Drops of urine remain on the linen, which, when dried, resembles the effect of dried starch (white and dense spots).
- The person complained of fatigue and drowsiness.
- Vision decreases sharply, all objects are seen blurred.
- Often accompanied by a sensation of tingling and numbness, especially in the palms and soles of the feet.
- Wound healing is slow and very weak, even the smallest and least important.
- The patient is concerned about the itching, which is very intense in the groin area.
- Sudden weight loss for no apparent reason.
- A strong sense of hunger that is difficult to satisfy.
It is important to remember that many symptoms appear when there is a lack of insulin in the body and the irreversible process of disruption of hormone production by the pancreas has begun. It is very difficult to diagnose the disease at an early stage, so 80% of patients are unaware of the presence of the disease.
Types of Diabetes
There are 2 types of diabetes mellitus, which have characteristic differences although there are similarities.
- Type 1 (insulin -dependent) diabetes is a disease characterized by the death of pancreatic beta cells, the main role of which is insulin production. As a result of this process, a lack of hormones occurs, which gives rise to diabetes. Causes of the development of this disease include violations of the immune system, the presence of viral infections in the human body. As a rule, this type of disease affects children and adolescents. The only treatment option for this disease is regular insulin injections for the rest of your life.
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a disease that affects people over the age of thirty and develops as a result of a lack of perception by the body, tissue cells and organs of insulin produced by the pancreas. Due to the body’s improper response to hormones, glucose accumulates in the blood and provokes negative processes in the body. If treatment is not timely, insulin production stops altogether, as increased levels of glucose in the blood adversely affect beta cells and contribute to their destruction.
Diagnosis of diabetes
To diagnose the disease, you must contact the clinic to see an endocrinologist who specializes in the disease. For the examination, the following procedures and examinations are conducted:
- Fasting blood test for blood sugar levels. In some cases, when patients are at risk for the disease, stress tests are performed to determine glucose tolerance.
- Perform a urine test for sugar content and determine its level. Urine tests for the presence of acetone can also be performed.
- It is also important to conduct an analysis for the installation of glycated hemoglobin, which will help determine the average blood glucose over the past three months.
- It is important to remember that diabetes is a chronic disease that cannot be cured, therefore regular maintenance therapy is needed to maintain a normal condition.
Disease treatment
The main treatment for type 1 (insulin -dependent) diabetes is regular insulin injections. Thanks to modern medical instruments, injections have become easier; insulin pumps and pens are used for this. The insulin dose is set individually for each patient and it is not recommended to change it yourself. The amount of insulin depends on the level of sugar in the blood, the presence of other concomitant diseases (e. g. , obesity), the lifestyle of the patient.
In case of incomplete pancreatic insufficiency, the doctor may prescribe drugs that can stimulate the production of hormones in the human body. To eliminate insulin resistance in the body, other groups of drugs can be used that eliminate insulin resistance and help maintain human health. An important factor is adherence to a special diet, in which foods are selected with a minimum content of sugar, carbohydrates, and even stimulate the pancreas.
Disease prevention
To prevent the progression of the disease, it is important to follow the recommendations of an endocrinologist, who will help maintain health and not fall into the risk group. Prevention methods include:
- Regular blood sugar level checks are highly recommended for those at risk. People over the age of forty should conduct this study regularly, at least twice a year.
- Change eating habits, switch to a balanced diet with healthy food preferences-low-glucose fruits, vegetables, fish, lean meats. In addition, it is recommended to follow a diet and distribute food intake into three equal meals and several snacks.
- Do simple physical exercises every day, which will help normalize weight and reduce the chances of developing diabetes.
- Normalization of weight, which will help reduce the likelihood of developing the disease.