Type 1 Diabetes

1 Type Diabetes: Nature and Treatment Methods

Type 1 diabetes – pathology consisting in the pancreas inability to produce insulin or produce it in small quantities. Insulin is necessary for energy production, saturating cells and maintaining their normal functioning.

Mostly, type 1 diabetes manifests itself in patients in childhood. It’s an incurable illness, the therapy for which is aimed at regulating blood sugar rates as much as possible.

Type 1 diabetes causes

Exact roots of pathology occurrence and development haven’t been identified. In many cases, immune system malfunctions, forcing it to mistakenly identify insulin-producing cells as hostile. Consequently, the immune system begins to actively hit them, harming the pancreas. Other reasons include the following:

• genetic predisposition;
• infectious impact;
• adverse environmental conditions.

Speaking about risk factors, it should be noted:

• pathology presence in family anamnez;
• age category 4-7 and 10-14;
• geographical factor – disease is more common as far as the distance from the equator.

Type 1 diabetes symptoms

Diabetes type 1 signs aren’t observed immediately and manifest themselves quite suddenly.

1. Frequent urge to urinate.
2. Heavy thirst and incredibly intense hunger.
3. Urinary incontinence at night.
4. Unreasonable weight loss.
5. Behavior and mood changes, irritability without a visible focus.
6. Vision problems – foggy and blurry.

Diabetes Type 1 diagnosis

If doctors suspect type 1 diabetes, they order blood tests to check sugar levels. Additionally, urine tests are ordered to check for sugar and abnormal chemical presence – it happens when there’s insulin deficiency.

Treatment type 1 diabetes

Patients suffering from pathology need to constantly control blood glucose levels. In case of deviation from norm, patients need to inject insulin.

You can make an injection yourself – a syringe and insulin vial should always be with the patient. They are small enough you can always carry them with you. There are syringes already pre-filled with insulin for direct injection. There’s another injection type – through the respiratory tract using a small tube and pump.

In type 1 diabetes, patients need to adjust their lifestyle in some way, particularly, pay attention to the following.

1. Active physical exercise on a daily basis.
2. Balancing insulin ingested and food consumed – individual nutrition plan balanced and based on your specific needs.
3. Patients are encouraged to constantly raise their awareness. For example, if you suddenly feel hungry, you can snack on carbohydrates that prevent insulin levels from getting too low.
4. If blood sugar is too high, stop exercising for 1-2 days and get tested for ketones.

Type 1 diabetes complications

If the illness isn’t properly controlled, complications are as follows.

1. Development of heart pathologies and vascular diseases – there’s great probability of blood clots formation.
2. Skin defects – patients are more prone to contracting fungal viruses; rashes and blisters appear.
3. Gums illnesses.
4. Difficulties in pregnancy – birth of children with defects, premature birth, etc.
5. Pathologies affecting the kidneys.
6. Nerve cells damage or death.

Additionally, patients with type 1 diabetes feel frequent weakness in legs, bouts of vomiting and nausea.