Diabetes

Diabetes often develops so slowly that you don’t realize anything’s wrong, but without treatment, you could suffer life-changing complications. At offices in the Navy Hill and Williamsburg neighborhoods of Brooklyn, New York, the board-certified physicians of Tru Medical Management offer fast and accurate diabetes screening to detect the disease in its earliest stages. They also provide expert monitoring and management of diabetes. To benefit from exceptional diabetic care, call your nearest Tru Medical Management office and schedule an in-person or telemedicine visit. You can also book an appointment online today.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a common disease caused by a lack of insulin, a hormone that regulates sugar levels in your blood. High blood sugar can lead to widespread blood vessel, organ, and nerve damage unless you receive the proper treatment.

Complications diabetes can cause include:

• Heart attacks
• Strokes
• Diabetic retinopathy
• Diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease)
• Certain cancers
• Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)
• Sexual health problems like erectile dysfunction
• Diabetic peripheral neuropathy

If you have poorly controlled diabetes, you might develop diabetic ulcers: open sores that are difficult to heal.

What are the different kinds of diabetes?

There are several kinds of diabetes, including:

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder that stems from an immune system fault. In this case, your immune system mistakenly destroys the cells in your pancreas that generate insulin. Type 1 diabetes typically begins in childhood or young adulthood and is unpreventable.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes develops when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body becomes resistant to it. The primary causes are excess body weight, inactivity, and a diet high in sugar and fat. Type 2 diabetes is far more common and mainly affects older people, tending to start causing problems in middle age.

Before type 2 diabetes develops, you go through a phase called prediabetes. This is where your blood sugar is higher than it ought to be, but the condition is still fully reversible. Tru Medical Management offers patients comprehensive diabetes screening to identify problems with blood sugar at an early stage.

How is diabetes treated?

If you have type 1 diabetes, you must take insulin for the rest of your life. Insulin is available as self-administered injections, or you can have a pump that delivers insulin directly into your bloodstream when required. Daily finger prick blood tests tell you when you need your insulin.

The primary treatment for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes is lifestyle changes. Your Tru Medical Management provider can help you with these, offering services like medically managed weight loss, smoking cessation, stress management, nutrition counseling, and exercise programs.

Some patients with type 2 diabetes need to take medications like metformin to help them control their blood sugar. You might also need daily insulin if you have severe type 2 diabetes.

To find out if you have diabetes and get the treatment you need, call Tru Medical Management today or book an appointment using the online form.