Services: Angie's List Medical/Diabetes
Nearly 6 million people have
diabetes and don’t know it. If current trends continue, one out of every three
children born today will face a future with the disease.
November is American
Diabetes Month, offering people a good reminder to visit their doctors and have
their blood glucose levels tested.
“Most cases of diabetes can
be managed with diet, exercise and medication, but the disease can also have
long-term damaging and even deadly ramifications,” said Angie
Hicks, founder of Angie’s List (www.angieslist.com), the nation’s leading
provider of local reviews on service companies and health care providers.
“So it’s extremely important
to find a health professional that is knowledgeable about diabetes and will
work with you to develop a plan to properly manage it.”
Diabetes affects a large
portion of the population – according to the American Diabetes Association, 24
million people in the United
States live with diabetes and another 57
million are at risk for type 2 diabetes – but each individual with diabetes
requires his or her own unique care.
According to a recent poll
of Angie’s List members, 35 percent reported that they or someone in their
family has diabetes, yet 10 percent of those with the disease said they don’t
do enough to manage their condition.
“Having the right support
system of health professionals in place can help you achieve your target
goals,” Hicks said. “In our poll, one of the chief complaints from some of our
members was they felt their health care providers didn’t take their condition
seriously enough or just didn’t offer enough information on the disease.
“Make sure you find a family
practitioner, internist or endocrinologist who is an expert on diabetes, can
answer your questions about diet, medication and lifestyle changes and can also
refer you to other health care professionals as your needs change. It might
also be important to you to find a health professional near your home, so you
have easy access to the care you need.”
Diabetes often goes
undiagnosed because many of its symptoms seem harmless. According to the poll,
21 percent of the respondents who don’t have diabetes reported experiencing
symptoms related to the disease. Recent studies indicate that the early
detection of these symptoms can decrease the chance of developing the
complications associated with diabetes.
Types of diabetes
From the American Diabetes Association
Type 1: Usually diagnosed in children
and young adults, type 1diabetes is the most severe form of the disease. In
type 1 diabetes, the body fails to produce insulin, which is needed to convert
sugars and starches into energy.
Type 2:
The most common form of diabetes, type 2 diabetes is when the body fails to
produce enough insulin or ignores the insulin produced, which can lead to a
variety of complications.
Gestational:
Gestational diabetes affects about 4 percent of all pregnant women and occurs
when their blood sugar levels are too high. It can be temporary but can also
lead to complications for both mother and child if not managed properly.
Pre-diabetes: The precursor to type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes occurs in people whose
blood glucose levels are high. An estimated 57 million people in the United States
have pre-diabetes and research has shown that pre-diabetes could lead to
long-term damage to the body, particularly to the heart and circulatory system.
Symptoms of diabetes
A person with the following symptoms should see his
or her doctor right away.
Type 1 Type 2*
Frequent urination Any
of the type 1 symptoms
Unusual thirst Frequent
infections
Extreme hunger Blurred vision
Unusual weight loss Cuts/bruises
that are slow to heal
Extreme fatigue and
Irritability Tingling/numbness
in hands/feet
Recurring
skin, gum or bladder infections
*Often people with type 2 have no symptoms
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