Understanding Blood Sugar and Diabetes
Blood sugar, or glucose, is an important source of energy and provides fuel for the cells in your body. The hormone insulin helps get glucose from the bloodstream into the cells. In people with diabetes, insulin is either not produced at all or the body has become resistant to its effects. This causes a buildup of glucose in the blood, known as high blood sugar or hyperglycemia.
Types of Diabetes
The two main types of diabetes are:
- Type 1 - the body makes little or no insulin
- Type 2 - the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces
Both types of diabetes lead to higher than normal blood sugar levels if untreated over time. However, keeping glucose under control with lifestyle changes, medication, and routine monitoring aims to prevent complications.
Signs that Blood Sugar is Too High
Recognizing key symptoms when blood sugar becomes too elevated can prompt important treatment adjustments. Monitoring for both mild and more concerning hyperglycemia signs helps those with diabetes manage their condition day-to-day.
Increased Thirst and Frequent Urination
Excess glucose spilling into the urine pulls fluid from body tissues through osmosis. This increases thirst as the body craves more fluids. Frequent urination occurs as the kidneys filter out the extra glucose. These classic warning signs provide clues blood sugar may be running high.
Vision Changes
Blurry vision is common when blood glucose is not controlled. The lens in the eye can swell under high sugar conditions, temporarily affecting focus. Vision clearing again once sugar levels normalize. Persistent visual changes warrant seeing an eye doctor to assess diabetes impact on eye health.
Infections and Slow Healing
High blood sugar dampens immune function and can lead to more frequent illnesses and infections - urinary tract, skin, fungal. Cuts and scrapes may heal more slowly. These red flags signal medicinal adjustment and lifestyle change needs to better control sugar.
Tingling or Numbness
Excess sugar can progressively damage nerve endings. Burning, tingling, or loss of feeling often starts in the feet and fingers. However, it can spread up the limbs as nerve sensitivity diminishes over time. Numbness speaks to neuropathy risks requiring medication dosing review.
When to Seek Emergency Care
Extremely high blood sugar is considered a diabetic emergency. Sugar climbing over 240 mg/dL for an extended time can lead to dangerous diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). The body starts burning fats for fuel, releasing ketones as blood glucose remains inaccessible cellularly. Monitoring ketones and seeking immediate treatment for pronounced hyperglycemia reduces DKA complication risks.
Significant Dehydration
Dehydration stemming from pronounced frequent urination indicates blood sugar likely over 400 mg/dL. Rehydrating is critical. IV fluids may help recover normal fluid balance faster. Thirst mechanisms shut down as dehydration advances, masking safe self-hydration ability.
Heavy Labored Breathing
As blood becomes too acidic from accumulating ketones, breathing triggers compensatory mechanisms. Rapid, deep respiration called Kussmaul breathing tries balancing acid-base ratios. Hospitalization allows stabilizing perpetually high sugars causing this extreme breath adaptation.
Vomiting
Uncontrolled vomiting prevents adequate hydration essential for diluting dangerously high sugars. IV fluid administration ensures tissues receive needed fluids when oral intake is unreliable. Halting vomiting eases restoring normal sugar ranges.
Altered Consciousness
Disorientation, confusion and impaired judgment accompanies severely uncontrolled hyperglycemia. When sugars remain excessively high for too long, the resulting dehydration and acidic environment can lead to loss of consciousness. Seeking emergency treatment is vital when this mental shift sets in.
Getting Blood Sugar Under Control
When diabetes is first diagnosed, the goal is optimizing blood sugar management through medications, nutrition adjustment, physical activity, and routine monitoring. Preventing wild glucose fluctuations and extreme highs or lows helps avoid associated health complications.
Checking Blood Sugar
Tracking blood sugar readings multiple times throughout the day helps guide treatment plans. Keeping a log and reviewing with a doctor optimizes insulin dosing, oral medications, exercise regimens and dietary strategies.
Taking Medications
Taking diabetes pills or administering insulin injections on a regimented schedule aims to keep glucose levels steady. Medications bring sugar down when rising and boost it when running too low. Following medication directions is key.
Eating a Diabetic Diet
Choosing wholesome, nutrient-dense foods that release sugar slowly into the blood prevents spikes and plunges. Limiting processed items high in sugars and bad fats improves the bodys ability to regulate glucose with less medication. Nutrition adjusts strip away extremes.
Learning diabetes warning signs identifies when blood sugar corrections become necessary more urgently. This prompts seeking appropriate medical care needed to regain balance and stability. Overall, consistently managing glucose keeps people living well despite diabetes.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.
Add Comment