It's not going to come as any great surprise that understanding and treating diabetes is pretty complex. The kind of diabetes drug and treatments used depends on the type of diabetes the patient has. The overall health and severity of the diabetes disease play a huge role in how the illness is treated as well. For better understanding of the unique versions of diabetes, here is a brief look at the two main different types and how they are commonly treated.
- Type I diabetes treatment
- Type II diabetes medications
- How both types are treated similarly
Just to review, simply put, diabetes type I is the body's inability to produce insulin, an enzyme used to break down and use the glucose from food for body fuel. This disease isn't preventable and often shows up in childhood, hence its juvenile diabetes name. The only known cure for this version of diabetes is a pancreas transplant. However, it can be controlled by constantly monitoring blood sugar levels and by carefully monitored insulin use. The insulin can be administered by needles, inhaled appliances, or through a continuous feed pump.
Type II diabetes is a bit different. With this disease, the person is likely to have a family history of the disease, may have weight issues, and have a history of very little physical activity. Instead of the problem being the body doesn't produce insulin; it is actually a problem of the body being able to effectively use the insulin. It's rare for type II diabetes to use insulin injections. The preferred method of treating type II diabetes is oral medications. They are designed to promote better use of the body's natural insulin.
As different as the two common types of diabetes are, there are diabetes treatments used that are effective for both types. For example, the diabetes diet is an important part of maintaining an average glucose level in both kinds of diabetics. Staying active and maintaining a healthy weight is imperative as well. Another thing both types of diabetics have in common is participating in diabetic support groups. Studies have shown that being around other people who can help you stay on track and feel less isolated greatly enhances good diabetes control and better health. Diabetes medication alone can't make all the changes. Getting the support you need is also a very important part of healing and living as symptom free as possible life.
