What is Type I diabetes? Introduction

An Introduction to Type 1 Diabetes: The facts you should know

Thought to be a quite uncommon condition, Type I diabetes affects approximately one out of every 250 people, both adults and young, living in the US today. Although the word "juvenile" has long been associated with this type of the disease, as in Type I juvenile onset diabetes, the disease process may actually occur at any time in life, and appears equally among both women and men.

There are thousands things that can go wrong with your body. Consider this short list:

11 beta hydroxylase deficiency - Froelich's syndrome - Dysmyelination - Dwarfism short limb absent fibulas very short digits - Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome - Cleidocranial dysplasia micrognathia absent thumbs - Aarskog syndrome - Crystal deposit disease - Acropectorenal field defect - Chudley Rozdilsky syndrome

Fortunately, even most doctors have not heard of some of these. But even though it is considered fairly uncommon, you probably know someone with Type I Diabetes.

Symptoms

While the signs of Type I diabetes tend to be subtle in most cases, if not treated, they can actually become quite severe. Some of the most common symptoms include:

Blurry vision - Increased thirst - Frequent urination - Frequent skin, vaginal, or urinary tract infections

Other serious signs and symptoms associated with Type I diabetes that require an urgent need for medical attention include:

Abdominal pain Rapid breathing and heart rate Fruity or sweet smelling breath Loss of consciousness, rarely in extreme cases

Causes

Scientists still aren't aware of all the factors inducing one to have Type I diabetes, although they do know that a susceptibility to the condition may be genetic. Researchers have discovered that this form of diabetes may also be caused by environmental factors that causes an adverse reaction within the body's immune system. But, they are unsure as to the origins of these possible triggers.

Diagnosis

For an accurate diagnosis of Type I diabetes, a family doctor must check for abnormal glucose levels by performing a blood test, or also testing for the presence of glucose in the urine. Today, there is no way to test for a tendency for Type I diabetes, or any method to prevent one from developing this type of diabetes.

Treatment

There are many, of all ages, who enjoy long, quite healthy lives despite having Type I diabetes. It's imperative to keep blood sugar levels under tight control, which may be achieved by eating a good diet, a good exercise program, and having insulin therapy consistentlyone or more times a day. Anyone with this disease is require to have insulin injections in order to properly control their glucose level, which will also have to be tested regularly.

Without treatment, Type I diabetes may presage several serious conditions, some of which may be life-threatening. Kidney damage is a quite common problem in those with Type I diabetes with a condition known as nephropathy. Other possible complications include retinopathy, which causes a loss of vision, heart disease, nerve damageand instestinal disorders which may also result without medical treatment.

Although a serious problem, Type I diabetes is a disease that can still be successfully managed with the right medical care.