Type 1 Diabetes Treatments

Type 1 diabetes is a condition that typically affects individuals under the age of 40. Unlike type 2 diabetes, type 1 diabetes does not have a specific known cause.

Typically, the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes occurs around the age of 14, although it is certainly capable of affecting younger children.

If you or your child has been diagnosed with this disease, know the options for type 1 diabetes treatments in order to ensure that he or she is getting the best care possible.

Furthermore, since type 1 diabetes is typically considered more serious than type 2 diabetes, it is important that everyone around the patient is informed of the correct actions to take should problems or complications occur with his or her condition.

What Causes Type 1 Diabetes?
Currently, there is no specific known cause that is thought to trigger type 1 diabetes in individuals. It is believed that type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition, where the body begins to attack itself, however the reason or the cause is still unknown.

Many individuals suffering from type 1 diabetes found the condition followed a previous infection, including polio, mumps, and the Epstein-Barr virus.

Again, there is speculation of this connection, but no concrete evidence has been found at this time to support this theory.

Type 1 Diabetes Treatments

Unlike other types of diabetes that can be controlled using eating schedules and dietary changes, type 1 diabetes must be controlled with insulin shots.

Furthermore, the blood sugars must be monitored on a regular basis so that any spikes or drops in the concentration of the sugar in the blood can be immediately identified. Insulin is injected on a daily basis into fatty cells under the skin.

Using the manner of injection, the body can immediately absorb the material into the blood stream and it can begin working to control the sugar problem. Unfortunately, insulin cannot be swallowed as a pill, since the acid present in the stomach would destroy the proteins that make up the insulin before it can be absorbed in the body.

There are now insulin pumps that are permanently attached to an individual that automatically regulates the amount of insulin in the body. When more insulin is needed, the pump tends to the situation.

Although carrying a pump may be awkward (even though these devices are typically small boxes that can be readily concealed under clothing), having that constant supply of insulin is the best way to go, especially in cases of severe type 1 diabetes.

Get Life Improving Information About Diabetes at http://www.4HealthConcerns.com/Diabetes and Find All The Research Material You Need About Juvenile Diabetes While You Relax at Home

Diabetes Symptom and Cure Info

Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms and Care

The symptoms of type 1 diabetes are often not easy to recognize and many people live with it for a long time before becoming aware that they are diabetes sufferers.

Type 1 diabetes is also known as insulin dependant diabetes, diabetes mellitus and / or juvenile diabetes. It is a chronic, i.e. lifelong, disease that accounts for approximately ten per cent of total diabetes cases in Europe and North America. It is an autoimmune disorder that occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce sufficient insulin to regulate blood sugar levels appropriately.
Type 1 diabetes can affect both adults and children but is frequently called juvenile diabetes because it represents the majority of the childhood cases of diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes Symptom

Without an adequate supply of insulin glucose builds up in the bloodstream instead of being used by the cells. The body is unable to use this excess glucose for energy despite the high levels in the bloodstream which can lead to an increase in both hunger and fatigue. Another type 1 diabetes symptom is frequent urination, which in turn will lead to excessive thirst.
It can take some years, but eventually the insulin producing beta cells of the pancreas are completely destroyed by the body's own immune system. Once no more insulin is being produced it needs to be supplied from another source, often insulin injections, in order to help the body function properly.

Other specific type 1 diabetes symptoms are:

* weight loss despite normal or increased appetite* blurred vision* nausea and vomiting* abdominal pain* fatigue* absence of menstruation in women
Diagnostic approach

* urinalysis shows glucose and ketone bodies in the urine* fasting glucose level of 126 mg/dL or higher* random (non fasting) blood glucose level exceeding 200 mg/dL (should be confirmed with a fasting glucose test)* insulin test* C-peptide test – low or undetectable levels of the protein C-peptide, a by-product of insulin production.

Treatment and care

Occasionally a newly diagnosed diabetes patient may require hospitalization to initially regulate insulin levels. However, since diabetes is a chronic disease the emphasis will be on managing both the short and long term diabetes-related problems. Patient education plays an important role in the ongoing management and dietary changes are almost always necessary together with self glucose monitoring and long term glycemic control.

A long term goal is to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke as diabetes sufferers tend to be at higher risk. Lifestyle changes are often required to manage this risk. Increased exercise, stopping smoking and an appropriate diet are all required. These changes can allow a sufferer to take control of their disease rather than allowing the diabetes to take control of them.
Alison Stevens maintains a website for diabetes sufferers at http://newdiabetescare.com/ and a blog about diabetes care and treatment at http://diabetes-care-treatment.blogspot.com/

Diabetes Symptom and Cure Info

How To Identify Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is a very serious and widespread disease that affects most of the systems in the body. It is currently the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. It is responsible for a staggering 210,000 deaths annually and steadily rising.

What exactly is Diabetes? There are two major types of Diabetes: Type I (formerly known as juvenile onset diabetes) and Type II (which is much more common). High blood glucose levels that lead to a host of problems characterize both types.

Type I Diabetes is a disease involving the pancreas in which the body destroys its own B cells and the pancreas can no longer make insulin. With no insulin to move glucose into body cells, glucose sits in the bloodstream and the levels soar. Telltale signs and symptoms usually appear especially thirst, hunger, excessive urination and fatigue. This type is more common in people under 30 and often appears in childhood. The peak onset is 11-13 years of age. Insulin injections are required for the remainder of the sufferer's life. This can be very difficult for a child who is battling diabetes. Complications such as heart disease, strokes, blindness and limb amputations due to vascular disease are frequently found also. Fortunately, Type I Diabetes accounts for only 5-10% of all types of diabetes.

In sharp contrast, Type II Diabetes claims a whopping 90% of all types of diabetes. It usually starts at age 35 or older and is especially common in the elderly. In type II Diabetes, there can be a combination of problems. The pancreas is still able to make insulin, but often it does not make enough and/or the cells are not able to use the insulin. Unlike Type I Diabetes, insulin injections are not always necessary, because the body can often still make some insulin. Sometimes oral medications, regular exercise and good nutrition are able to control the high glucose levels.

In many ways, the two types of diabetes are similar. Type II Diabetes frequently displays the same symptoms as Type I, but they are usually much milder or absent if the disease is kept under control. Exercise and proper nutrition is essential for controlling both types, but Type I patients tend to be thin, while Type II patients are usually obese. The same kinds of complications, especially heart disease, often plague Type II patients.

Type I Diabetes can have a profound impact on the lives of children diagnosed with it. Not only do they have to adjust to major life changes such as daily insulin injections, but they also face potential problems with self-esteem and peer interaction. Family counseling and support groups are often helpful in dealing with these issues.

Diabetes also poses an added risk for the elderly who are already more prone to developing strokes and heart problems... An estimated 20% of people over age 65 have diabetes, so this is a very real problem. Often the elderly population has a difficult time adapting to the disease.
Overall, diabetes has had a devastating effect on our society with about $98 billion spent on it annually in medical costs.

Jon Arnold is an author and computer engineer who maintains various web sites on a variety of topics. More info on this topic can be found at his Diabetes Information web site at http://diabetes-data.com/

Type 2 diabetes Info