Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is an impairment of how the body regulates and uses sugar as a fuel. It results in too much sugar circulating in the bloodstream. As a result, high blood sugar levels lead to disorders of the circulatory, nervous, and immune systems. In type 2 diabetes, your pancreas does not produce enough insulin, and cells respond poorly to insulin and take in less sugar.

Type 2 is more common in older adults, but the increase in the number of children with obesity has led to more cases of type 2 diabetes in younger people.

Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes

Seek medical help if you notice any of the signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes. This includes:

• Increased thirst and frequent urination
• Increased hunger and unintended weight loss
• Fatigue and blurry vision
• Slow-healing sores and frequent infections
• Numbness or tingling in the feet and hands
• Darkened skin in the armpits, neck, and other parts of the body

What is Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus?

Type 2 diabetes is also called type 2 diabetes mellitus and adult-onset diabetes. It starts almost always in middle- and late adulthood. But, more children and teens are developing this condition. There are more types of diabetes than type 1 diabetes, and type 2 diabetes is a different disease.  Despite this, both Types share high blood sugar levels and complications.

How to Diagnose Type 2 Diabetes

Tests for type 2 diabetes can be performed by your doctor. Usually, they will test you for 2-days to confirm the diagnosis. But if your blood glucose is very high or you have many symptoms, your doctor will recommend:

• A1c. This is like an average of your blood glucose over the past 2 or 3 months.
• Fasting plasma glucose. Fasting blood sugar tests are also called fasting glucose blood testing. It measures your blood sugar on an empty stomach.
• Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). A blood glucose test measures how your body responds to sugar before and after drinking something sweet.

Causes and Risk Factors of Diabetes

1. Extra weight. Obesity can cause insulin resistance. It is typical of people carrying excess abdominal fat.
2. Metabolic syndrome. People with insulin resistance often have other medical conditions. It includes extra fat around the waist, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol and triglycerides.
3. Too much glucose from your liver. When the liver keeps cranking out sugar, it increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
4. Bad communication between cells. Sometimes, cells send the wrong signals or don’t pick up messages correctly. It leads to a chain reaction that can lead to diabetes.
5. Broken beta cells. If the cells send out the wrong amount of insulin at the wrong time, your blood sugar gets thrown off.
6. Family history of diabetes. Having a relative, parents, or sibling having diabetes can also increase your risk of having the condition.

Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes

There are no specific cures for type 2 diabetes, but losing weight, eating well, and exercising can help you manage the disease. If diet and exercise are not enough to control your blood sugar, you may also need diabetes medications such as; Metformin and insulin therapy.