Diabetes Diagnosis: How Is Diabetes Diagnosed?

By: Barb Hicks

Published: August 22, 2009
What Is Diabetes?

When there is an imbalance of insulin and glucose in the blood that causes glucose levels to be abnormally high, this is a condition called diabetes, or hyperglycemia. Insulin serves to regulate glucose levels to stay within normal values. In the absence of adequate insulin, glucose isn't changed into energy for the cells to use as fuel, leading to organ damage and complications.

The proper definiteion of diabetes is the elevated level of glucose or sugar in the blood. The body naturally regulates these levels by producing insulin which converts glucose into energy for the cells to use as fuel. If insulin cannot perform its job properly, glucose levels rise resulting in complications of this disease. Symptoms of diabetes include frequent urination and excessive thirst.

Here are the two forms of diabetes:

Type 1: This form of diabetes is genetic and is commonly diagnosed in children. In this case, the pancreas does not produce sufficient insulin. Type 2: This form of diabetes is metabolic and is the result of the proper production of insulin, but the body is resistant to it.

Both types cause increased glucose in the blood that must be monitored daily.

You are at risk for the development of diabetes if you are overweight, have family members diagnosed with it, and live a sedentary lifestyle.

What are the signs and symptoms of diabetes?

There are many different symptoms of diabetes. In addition, not everyone will display any or all of these signs. Some of the symptoms include:

- Headache, irritability, extreme thirst, frequent urination and non healing wounds.

The body tries to protect itself by getting rid of the excess glucose through the kidneys. This results in frequent urination which then leads to dehydration. Dehydration cause headache and excessive thirst just as it does as a result of a hangover.

Living a sedentary lifestyle and being overweight are risk factors for development of the disease.

How do I find out if I have it?

Knowing the symptoms is the first step, as well as learning what your risk factors are. If you suspect that you may have this condition, there are diagnostic tests that your doctor can administer to determine if you indeed have the disease. How Is Diabetes Diagnosed?

In general, a glucose level of 70 mg/dl-125 mg/dl is normal. A doctor will perform testing in order to measure your specific blood glucose levels.

What are the means of treatment?

Treatment of diabetes includes changes in diet, regular exercise at least 3-4 times per week, daily monitoring of glucose levels, and insulin injections by syringe, insulin pump, or prefilled pens.

The goal of treatment is to control glucose levels within the normal range to prevent complications and slow the progression of the disease.

About the Author:

Barb Hicks is a licensed registered nurse who loves to share her knowledge about Diabetes Early Symptoms. She has an online classroom at Clivir.com where you can find more of her articles about Hypoglycemia Causes.