Diabetes Specialist

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is the name for a group of conditions that affect the amount of sugar in your blood. You need some sugar — also called glucose — within your bloodstream. In a healthy body, the cells use a hormone called insulin to pull sugar from the bloodstream into themselves. The cells then use this glucose for energy.

But diabetes disrupts your body’s ability to do this. As a result, sugar builds up in your bloodstream. There is a link between this excess of blood glucose and a number of serious health concerns, including:

• Nerve damage (neuropathy)
• Skin problems
• Eye problems
• Kidney problems
• Cardiovascular disease
• Foot problems
• Depression
• Alzheimer’s disease

For your physical and mental well-being, keeping your blood sugar at healthy levels is paramount. 

What are the different types of diabetes?

There are many different types of diabetes. The two most common types of diabetes are:

Type 1 diabetes

A type 1 diabetes diagnosis usually occurs in childhood or adolescence because it stems from a problem with your body itself. Your immune system mistakenly attacks the cells in your pancreas that create insulin, leaving you without enough insulin to properly use the glucose in your blood. 

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. A diagnosis is common later in life, as unhealthy lifestyle choices are usually the cause. Over time, choices like consuming a poor diet and leading a sedentary lifestyle can impede your body’s ability to properly use insulin, contributing to type 2 diabetes. 

Before a diabetes diagnosis, your provider may tell you that you have prediabetes. When you’re prediabetic, your blood sugar levels are higher than normal. If left unchecked, this can lead to type 2 diabetes. Fortunately, prediabetes is reversible with lifestyle changes. 

How is diabetes treated?

When you seek diabetes diagnosis and treatment at Maryland Medical First P.A., you get personalized, dedicated care. The team understands the importance of educating their patients about it and helping them find ways to protect their bodies against the risks. 

They help you find the right treatment to keep your blood sugar levels balanced. For people with type 1 diabetes, this means regular insulin injections. The Maryland Medical First P.A. team can help you with insulin pump management. 

If you have type 2 diabetes, lifestyle changes can often make a dramatic difference in your blood glucose levels. Your provider works with you to make those healthy changes. In certain cases, you may require insulin or other medication to manage your diabetes.

To learn more about diabetes and the care offered at Maryland Medical First P.A., call the office or schedule an appointment online today.