How diabetes manifests itself, its causes and prevention methods.

Diabetes mellitus is considered the most frequent endocrine disease. Inadequate diet, lack of physical activity and hereditary predisposition: these factors increase the risk of its occurrence. Today, around 347 million people worldwide suffer from some pathology. In the last two decades, the number of cases has multiplied by 10. If it is detected in 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 broken down 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, causing gradual dehydration and a constant, unsettling feeling of thirst.

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

1. hereditary predisposition.
2. Over weight.
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 allocation 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 necessary amount.

There are also the following types of diabetes: gestational, insipidus, 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?

Diabetes is an insidious disease. A person may not be aware of health problems for many years until they fall into 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 picture
Diabetes type 1	Intense and constant thirst, difficult to quench with water. The patient may also experience dry mouth and throat. One only has to 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 and salt metabolism is disturbed, nutrients are difficult to digest. Frequent urges to urinate. The fluid just doesn't stay in the body. A patient can consume more than 2 liters of water per day, and the number of urgencies to go to the bathroom can increase up to 10 times. Rapid fatigue, decreased performance. These symptoms are also characteristic of other diseases. Therefore, it is wrong to judge diabetes by them alone. Decrease in 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. Itching of the skin. Dehydrated skin can develop cracks. Visual disability. Numbness of the lower extremities. This is quite an indicative symptom, which cannot be ignored. Later, it can transform into gangrene because the peripheral nervous system suffers. Bad breath, reminiscent of acetone. Acetone is a protein breakdown product that must be used in a healthy body. In the case of diabetes, the substance remains, gradually poisoning all organs. Decreased sexual desire. Any hormonal disorder is accompanied by impaired libido.
Type 2 diabetes	Profuse urination. strong thirst Itching of the skin. Increased 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 gender.

Signs of the onset of diabetes in children

Recognize 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 abundant urination. If the baby still goes to the pot, it is easy to identify this symptom. Problems urinating mainly occur at night. Parents often have to change diapers and bedding.
2. The child is constantly thirsty. If diabetes is suspected, compotes and juices should be replaced with plain water. If in this case the thirst does not decrease, 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 grows rapidly.

In addition to these symptoms, diabetes can manifest with itching, constant fatigue even after rest, and dry mouth.

The appearance of diabetes in men.

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

Diabetes disorders in women

In the fair sex, the onset of the disease manifests itself 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 in the mammary glands. They are often confused with allergies, but ongoing treatment does not give positive results.
3. Weight loss or gain for no apparent reason.

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

Symptoms of gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes develops exclusively in pregnant women. It has no specific external characteristics. Usually it is detected during routine examinations, which are regularly prescribed to women in position. The basis for diagnosis are 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 develop mainly in the second and third trimesters.

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

Often this is 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 the early symptoms. This disease is 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 his medical history and conduct a physical examination. Only on the basis of these measurements can a preliminary diagnosis be made. To confirm this, you will need to undergo a comprehensive examination.

Diagnosis of the disease

Any investigation for suspected diabetes aims to determine the level of glucose in the blood.

Very often, patients are offered to take a blood test for sugar. Before delivery, you can not eat for 8-12 hours. Alcohol is also prohibited. Better quit smoking. Normally, the glucose indicator 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 facility, she drinks a glass of sugar water (75 g of the substance per 200 ml of water). After 2 hours, you do 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 draw a conclusion about the prediabetic condition. Indicators that are much higher than these figures already indicate diabetes.

Some are prescribed an analysis of glycated hemoglobin. With it, you can track your blood glucose status for the past 3 months. Normally, this figure 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 higher than 6. 5%, you probably have diabetes. However, confirmation by further testing 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, severe pain and numbness in the area of the lower extremities. It develops due to metabolic disorders in the central nervous system. Treatment consists of taking medications with thioctic acid. With the timely search for medical help, the patient manages to restore the nerve tissue.
2. diabetic coma. His symptoms are growing rapidly. Therefore, the patient is immediately subject to hospitalization. At first, you 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 rapidly destroy nerve cells.
3. Trophic ulcers. This is a serious pathology that significantly affects the quality of human life. If therapy is not started on time, trophic ulcers may begin to suppurate.

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 probability of its development.

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

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

By following 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 mainly requires the intake of insulin for life. If you neglect its treatment, the pathological process can be complicated and lead to rather unpleasant consequences.

Among the latter, diabetic coma, trophic ulcerations in the lower limbs and neuropathy should be highlighted. 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 examination, which consists mainly of evaluating blood glucose parameters, the specialist will be able to choose a therapy.