Type 2 Diabetes: Symptoms, Health Problems, and Medical Treatments

TYPE 2 DIABETES
INTRODUCTION
Type II diabetes is chronic condition that affects the way through
which body uses and regulates the motion of glucose. This long
term condition results in circulation of too much sugar in the
bloodstream which can eventually lead to disorders of the
nervous and circulatory system. Type II diabetes is lifelong and
can seriously damage the eyes, heart and specially the feet. This
report gives an explanation about type II diabetes and the
additional health issues associated with it. The discussion also
revolves around the signs and symptoms of diabetes and
treatment measures that are advice to a patient suffering from
diabetes.
When the cells cannot intake glucose, the pancreas produce more
insulin to make up for the insulin that is not absorbed which
leads to building up of glucose in the bloodstream. There are a
combination of factors that can cause type II diabetes, such as
genes, being overweight, presence of any metabolic syndrome,
production of too much glucose from the liver for storage. There
is also a possibility that bad communication between the
receptors of the cells that can affect the uptake of insulin and this
chain reaction can lead to diabetes (Chaplin, 2020). High blood
sugar level can also be caused when beta cells in the pancreas
may send out wrong signals for production of high amounts of
insulin. Insulin resistance can also result in a variety of metabolic
syndromes such as high blood pressure, high level of cholesterol
and triglycerides. The possibility gaining extra weight can also
cause insulin resistance leading to type II diabetes. According to
a research conducted by UK Prospective Diabetes Study
(UKPDS), the prevalence of diabetes is increasing with each
surpassing day as about 90% of the adults have either been
diagnosed with type II diabetes or are at a high risk for
contracting the disease because of sedentary lifestyle (Diabetes
in the UK: 2019, 2020).
OVERVIEW
Diabetes is an impairment where high blood sugar levels leads to
disorders of the circulatory and immune system. There are two
ways through which type II diabetes develops i.e., when the
pancreas does not produce enough insulin and when the cells
respond poorly to the hormone that regulates the circulation of
sugar and there is intake of less sugar through these cells. There
is no available cure for type II diabetes and children with obesity
have a higher chance of contracting this disease. Insulin
resistance is the main reason because of which people develop
type II diabetes. Insulin is a hormone which is produced in the
pancreas that helps the cells convert glucose (sugar) into energy,
however in this case of diabetes, insulin is produced but the cells
cannot take it up for production of energy (Bommer and et. al.,
2018).

Health problems associated with type II
diabetes Signs and symptoms
According to the NHS, if a person is diagnosed with diabetes it is
important to undergo regular check-ups and keep an eye on the
health of a person who is suffering from type II diabetes. There is
a high chance of stroke or developing heart diseases if cholesterol
and blood pressure levels are not checked and treated (Zare and et.
al., 2019). Smoking worsens the effect of diabetes on the heart.
Any numbness or pain should be immediately reported to the
doctor as this can be caused due to diabetes that cause damage to
the nerves. Neuropathy is a severe dysfunction of one or more
nerves that can result in muscle weakness and affects other parts
of the body. Nerve damage causes vomiting, nausea and may lead
to erectile dysfunction in men. Ulcers and sore feet can cause loss
of feeling as diabetes reduce the supply of blood to the feet. Cuts,
cracks, numbness of toes and feet should be reported to the doctor.
If sore feet is not treated at an early stage it can lead to gangrene
which can only be treated by amputation. Diabetic retinopathy is
caused by damaged blood vessels leading to sight problems and
even blindness. Diabetes can also damage the filtering system of
the body leading to kidney failure or irreversible kidney disease.
Susceptible skin conditions can develop as a result of bacterial
and fungal infections. The risk of developing dementia is directly
related to poor control over the blood sugar level. It is observed by
the NHS, that people with diabetes have the possibility of
contracting Alzheimer's disease (Takehara and et. al., 2019).
Diabetes and mental health issues such as depression also go hand
in hand. The management of diabetes is affected by depression
such as non- adherence towards diabetes medication.
Uncontrolled blood sugar levels in women can cause
complications during pregnancy such as low blood sugar level in
the newborn, unusual growth in infants, type II diabetes in later
stages of life and even death.
The symptoms of diabetes vary from person to person depending
on the elevation of blood sugar level. One of the major symptom
of diabetes is presence of ketones levels in the urine sample of the
patient. As ketones are the by-products that are produced due to
breakdown of fat and muscles due to unavailability of insulin
(Skinner, Joensen and Parkin, 2020). Frequent urination,
increased thirst and episodes of extreme hunger are experienced
by the people suffering from diabetes. Slow healing sores of feet
and occurrence of infections such as skin or vaginal infections can
develop at any age. There is unexplained weight loss along with
blurred vision which is followed by irritability which is more
common in people above the age of 40. Diagnosis of pre-diabetes
is also a major symptom that can help a caregiver identify the
possibility of developing the disease. Pre-diabetes occurs when
the blood sugar levels are very high in a person but not high
enough for it be classified as diabetes. It can also be called as
precursor to diabetes. High blood pressure can essentially slow
down the functioning of kidneys and lead to chronic kidney
disease (Cherrington and et. al., 2021). With the presence of
diabetes, a minor skin condition can turn into a severe infection
with serious consequences. High sugar level in blood can cause
dental and oral health issues because high sugar in blood impairs
white blood cells in the mouth which can lead to easy entry of
infectious pathogens in the body. The thyroid gland does not
produce enough hormones controlling the metabolism which can
be caused as a result of hypothyroidism, a condition linked to
diabetes. In some cases, there is a possibility that one might
experience no symptoms at all. Some symptoms are gender-
specific such as men might experience decreased sex drive and
erectile dysfunction along with poor muscle strength whereas
women suffering from diabetes can develop urinary tract
infections, sever yeast infections and itchiness all over the body.