Diabetes Mellitus Types: Diabetes Mellitus continues to be a major non-communicable diseases (NCD) across the world. According to Mayo Clinic, diabetes mellitus refers to a group of diseases that affect how the body uses blood sugar (glucose).
Although the main cause of diabetes varies by type, it can lead to excess sugar in the blood. According to doctors, too much sugar in the blood can lead to serious health problems.
What causes Diabetes Mellitus?
Diabetes Mellitus occurs when your pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or any at all, or when your body isn’t responding to the effects of insulin properly. According to Mayo Clinic, chronic diabetes conditions include type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Meanwhile, potentially reversible diabetes conditions include prediabetes and gestational diabetes.
According to Cleveland Clinic, causes of diabetes include:
- Insulin resistance
- Autoimmune disease
- Hormonal imbalances
- Pancreatic damage
- Genetic mutations
What are the types of Diabetes Mellitus?
There are several types of diabetes. The most common forms include:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Prediabetes
- Type 1 diabetes
- Gestational diabetes
- Type 3c diabetes
- Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA)
- Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY)
- Neonatal diabetes
- Brittle diabetes
- Wolfram Syndrome
- Alström Syndrome
- Steroid-induced diabetes
- Cystic fibrosis diabetes
What are the symptoms of Diabetes Mellitus?
Symptoms of diabetes include:
- Increased thirst (polydipsia) and dry mouth.
- Frequent urination.
- Fatigue.
- Blurred vision.
- Unexplained weight loss.
- Numbness or tingling in your hands or feet.
- Slow-healing sores or cuts.
- Frequent skin and/or vaginal yeast infections.
How diabetes mellitus is treated and managed?
As diabetes mellitus is a complex process, managing the condition involves several strategies. According to Cleveland Clinic, diabetes affects everyone differently, so management plans are highly individualised. The four main aspects of managing diabetes include:
- Blood sugar monitoring
- Oral diabetes medications
- Insulin
- Diet
- Exercise
How diabetes mellitus can be prevented?
It is noteworthy that type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented. However, healthy lifestyle choices that help treat prediabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes can also help prevent them, Mayo Clinic maintains. Some of the measures include:
- Eat healthy foods
- Get more physical activity
- Lose weight
If you have prediabetes, have your blood sugar checked at least once a year to make sure you haven’t developed type 2 diabetes, Mayo Clinic emphasised.