Diabetes is a common disease that causes high blood sugar, and it causes over two million annual deaths in the US alone. Type 1 diabetes is a fatal condition whereby the pancreas fails to make insulin, an important hormone that takes glucose to various body cells for energy production.
Type 1 diabetes is caused by age and genetics and is mainly common among children. This condition has no known cure, but you can manage it by controlling sugar levels in the blood.
The main symptoms of type 1 diabetes include;
- Blurry vision
- Frequent mood changes
- Loss of weight
- Bedwetting among children.
Below we discuss everything you need to know about type 1 diabetes.
Causes of Type 1 Diabetes
The main cause of type 1 diabetes remains unknown. Normally, the body’s immune unit eliminates insulin cells, thus causing this condition. However, other common risk factors include the following;
- Genetics
- Exposure to certain environmental factors and viruses.
After a significant number of islet cells are destroyed, the body fails to produce insulin. The pancreas gland produces insulin, and its role is to eliminate sugar from the bloodstream. The main risk factors of type 1 diabetes are;
- Family history- anyone with a sibling or parent with this condition is likelier to get it than others
- Geography- research has proven that people with this condition are mainly found away from the equator.
- Genetics- having particular genes increases your chances of getting this condition.
- Age- this condition can occur at any age but is common in children.
Type 1 Diabetes Complications
This condition’s complications can affect massive body organs with time, including the heart, nerves, and blood vessels. However, you can eliminate the risk of contracting it by having a standard blood sugar level.
Type 1 diabetes can cause the following conditions;
- Heart diseases- this condition increases the chance of contracting heart diseases like stroke and heart attacks.
- Nerve damage- excess blood sugar damages the capillary walls, primarily in the legs. This, in turn, causes numbness and tingling. A poorly managed blood sugar can make you lose a sense of feeling in the limbs, and you should seek immediate medical help.
- Kidney Damage- kidneys have many blood vessels that prevent waste from accessing the blood. However, this condition can affect this system through irreversible kidney damage.
- Eye damage- type 1 diabetes damages the retina vessels, which might cause blindness. Diabetes also puts you at a high chance of contracting other chronic eye conditions like glaucoma and cataracts.
- Foot damage- type 1 diabetes causes nerve damage in the foot, which further causes other foot complications. When left untreated, these blisters can cause serious infections, meaning you should seek immediate medical assistance.
Final Thoughts
Type 1 diabetes is a common infection mainly found among children. This condition has no known prevention, but you can lower its occurrence rate by checking your blood sugar levels.
The above article has discussed the complete type 1 diabetes guide, and you can reach out for more.
