Before diving into different diabetes treatments for types 1 and 2 here is a brief introduction to diabetes. The hormone insulin helps the body utilize blood sugar, also known as glucose, and use this glucose for energy. The food that you eat is broken down by your body, all the fats, proteins and carbohydrates are broken down to use as energy. When the body is processing or digesting the food you have eaten, the carbohydrates which were consumed are broken down by the body into glucose. Once this glucose has been broken down, it will be absorbed directly into your bloodstream. It is at this point that the insulin in your body has the task of absorbing whatever glucose is resent in your blood, which will allow it to be utilized as an energy source.
When healthy, the pancreas will regularly release a supply of insulin directly into the bloodstream. Right after eating a meal, the glucose levels in your blood will rise which will cause your pancreas to respond to this rise in the glucose level by releasing additional insulin in order to move the glucose effectively into the cells of your body. Insulin will essentially unlock the cells in order for them to be able to accept the glucose in your bloodstream.
Type I Diabetes
Any person who has Type I diabetes will have a pancreas which is producing insufficient amounts of insulin, or no insulin at all. Without insulin, the levels of blood glucose will rise. This happens because without the insulin in the bloodstream, there is nothing to unlock the cells in your body, so they will have no way to accept the necessary glucose. This will result in the glucose staying in the bloodstream with nowhere to go which will cause the glucose levels to continue rising.
A person who has diabetes type 1 will need a diabetes treatment plan that requires maintaining healthy levels of glucose. This is necessary because when glucose levels get too high it will lead to many very severe health complications in time. On the opposite end of the scale is when glucose levels become too low, when this happens a person who has Type I diabetes begins to feel dizzy, or too hot or cold. If not corrected quickly, blood sugar levels can drop extremely low and the person who has Type I diabetes can lose consciousness.
To treat a person who has Type I diabetes effectively, their doctor will need to prescribe insulin with specific doses which will need to be taken regularly throughout the day. The person who has Type I diabetes will also need to change their diet. In fact, the ones who make drastic changes in their diets as well as incorporating regular exercise into their individual treatment plan will greatly reduce the required amount of insulin necessary for maintaining a healthy body and proper glucose levels.
Type II Diabetes
As with Type I diabetes, diabetes type 2 is the result of the inability of the body to produce sufficient insulin. However, the thing that sets type II diabetes apart from type I diabetes is the fact that the body has actually become resistant to any insulin which is being produced. The person who has type II diabetes will have insulin receptors which are less sensitive. There is insulin being produced by the pancreas, so there is insulin present inside the body of the person who has type II diabetes, however, the insulin which is being produced is considerably less than what is actually needed by the body.
Just as in type I diabetes, if the glucose can not enter the body’s cells, blood sugar levels will continue to rise creating severe health problems. Not keeping proper glucose levels within the body maintained will eventually lead to complications such as heart attack, blindness, stroke, nerve damage, and kidney failure. The treatment plan for the type II diabetic will require taking a specific dosage of insulin which is prescribed by a doctor, maintaining a healthy diet, and getting plenty of regular physical activity.
Diabetes Treatment
As a way of combating the body’s shortage of insulin for the type 1 or type 2 diabetic, necessary insulin will need to either be taken orally or injected, as prescribed by their doctor. It is absolutely essential that the insulin be administered using a manner that will mimic the natural secretion that the pancreas would produce. Since each person has a very different lifestyle and different lifestyle pattern, a doctor will prescribe the use of insulin according to each individual person.
Insulin is available in many different forms which can range from the long lasting to the brief, but intense. This is the reason your doctor may recommend a combination or mixture of insulin to be used. For example, the patient may use a dose of the intermediate acting insulin first thing in the morning and again in the evening, but may also need a type of insulin that is short acting, which can absorb more quickly, immediately before they consume a meal.
Whatever form, or forms of insulin that are used, the FDA has three methods approved for administration. Here are listed the three different approved methods for administering insulin:
An Insulin Pen that is Pre-Filled
This pre-filled pen comes with the insulin already loaded and is one of the most common methods for insulin delivery. This device is the size of a pen and holds the pre-filled insulin cartridge which will administer the insulin by injection. The needle penetrates right beneath the surface of the skin and releases the insulin directly into the body of the diabetic.
Insulin pens are either disposable or non-disposable. The non-disposable type of pen has both replacement cartridges and needles which can be ordered from a pharmacist. This pre-filled insulin pen can be a great way to administer insulin, however, many people just do not like the idea of taking an injection and so, prefer to use the insulin pump instead.
Insulin Pump
The insulin pump is another one of the FDA approved methods for administering insulin. This device is about the size of the typical small cell phone. The insulin pump was designed to be worn or carried on the outside of your body. It has a tube and this tube is inserted directly into the abdomen of the user. The insulin pump then dispenses insulin, in a pre-programmed amount, right into the body of the diabetic.
Inhaled Insulin
The inhaled insulin comprises the most recent form of administering insulin approved by the FDA. With this kind of pump, a person with either type I or II diabetes can simply inhale the insulin through a special device that looks similar to the inhaler used by someone with asthma.
Inhaled insulin is packaged in individual packs, and then the content of one of the packs is inserted into an inhaled insulin pump. This is a very fast acting method because the insulin can be immediately absorbed into the body of the diabetic. However, this method for administering insulin is considered very short acting. This method is generally used in conjunction with either one of the methods of administration mentioned previously.
The people who have the greatest success in both treating their particular diabetes, and in being able to drastically reduce their intake need for insulin, have usually adopted totally different lifestyles, as well as having completely eliminated certain foods which are not appropriate for their diets. This has been a major focus in their overall treatment plan for their diabetes, and they are taking it very seriously. Then there are those who are using insulin therapy, but are still suffering with complications, mainly because they have not taken the initiative to change their diet, and they have not incorporated regular exercise in their lifestyle.
Treating diabetes with insulin therapy is considered vital for survival for those who have this disease. The best way to manage diabetes is by incorporating a diet as well as lifestyle change, together with insulin therapy. This combination is the most effective diabetes treatment method and will yield the most promising results.