17.9 million or 90 percent of patients diagnosed with diabetes are type 2 diabetic in the United States. It generally affects adults and elderly people. But of late, children especially suffering from obesity have been diagnosed with this disease. The government had to declare obesity and type 2 diabetes as national epidemics last year (2009). There is a strong correlation between this disease and obesity. Two-thirds of Americans are over-weight with one thirds of them being obese. This article discusses the symptoms, causes and treatment of this prevalent disease.
Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes:
- Skin infections
- Skin rashes
- Skin ulcers
- Poor skin healing
- Athlete’s foot
- Urinary tract infection
- Thrush
- Flaky skin
- Dry itchy skin
- Foot tingling
- Hand tingling
- Foot numbness
- Hand numbness
- Candida
- Weight loss
- Blurred vision
- Paresthesias
- Erectile failure
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Absent periods
- Unusual dryness of vagina
- Premature menupose
- Malaise
- Weight gain
- Dehydration
- Drowsiness
- Tiredness
- Excessive thirst, hunger and urination
- Muscle weakness, aches and cramps
- Headaches
- Acne
- Irritability
- Tinea
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Rapid pulse
- Fruity acetone breath
- Breathing difficulty
- Abdominal pain and bed wetting in children
Causes of Type 2 Diabetes:
The food we eat gets converted to energy or glucose. Insulin is the hormone which carries glucose to the cells. The cells either make use of the energy for carrying out various functions of our body or store it for later use.
In the body of a person suffering from type 2 diabetes, the produced insulin is not recognized by the body. It is not used appropriately. As a result, the presence of glucose in the blood increases. This undesirable state is type 2 diabetes.
There are some factors which are responsible for the onset of this disease. They are:
Life Style: A study found that people who exercise regularly, have healthy diet, do not smoke, consume alcohol moderately have 82 percent less risk of getting this disease.
Medical Conditions:
- Obesity is responsible for 55 percent of type 2 diabetes cases.
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol levels
- Excess of cortisol
- Testosterone deficiency
- Conditions like Syndrome X
- CHAOS
- Reavan’s syndrome
- Cushing’s syndrome
- Chronic pancreatitis
- Thyrotoxicosis
- Acromegaly
- Pheochromocytoma
- Chronic pancreatitis
Role of Genes: This disease can be inherited by family members. Change in the normal structure of the gene (technically called mutation) Islet Amyloid Polypeptide, also leads to early onset of this disease.
Use of Certain Medicines: Intake of drugs like thiazide diuretics, niacin, calcium channel blockers, somatropin, protease inhibitors, phenothiazines, beta-blockers, fluoroquinolones, corticosteroids and atypical antipsychotics can also cause this disease.
Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes:
The treatment of this disease aims at reducing the complications associated with the disease and preserving the quality of life of the patient. When diagnosed early, this disease can treated very well.
- According to the recommendations of the American Diabetes Association, two and a half hours of exercise per week is essential for preventing this disease along with the intake of healthy diet.
- Modest weight loss of even 2-5 kgs or 4-5 pounds can substantially rise insulin sensitivity in the body as per research studies.
- Use of drugs like metformin, valsartan and rosiglitazone can further delay the disease.
