Whether you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, you can count on receiving comprehensive diabetes management and lifestyle coaching from the team at Arkangel Endocrinology & Diabetes in Phoenix, Arizona. The team works closely with each patient, helping them stay healthy by managing their blood sugar and preventing diabetes-associated health complications. You don’t need to wait months to get help for your diabetes; you can schedule a timely appointment by calling the office or using the online booking feature.
Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes each involve a distinct problem with insulin, which is the hormone responsible for removing excess sugar from your bloodstream.
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune disorder that damages your pancreas. As a result, the pancreas can’t produce insulin and blood sugar levels rise. Type 1 diabetes usually appears before early adulthood (which is why it’s sometimes called “juvenile diabetes), but it can develop at any age.
Type 2 diabetes often appears after the age of 40, but it’s increasingly being diagnosed in teens and young adults. If you have Type 2 diabetes, your pancreas still produces insulin, but two problems develop: The pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin to manage blood sugar and you develop insulin resistance.
Cells throughout your body need the sugar, or glucose, that’s circulating in your bloodstream. However, glucose can only enter a cell when insulin opens a passageway through the cell wall.
When you have insulin resistance, cells stop responding to insulin so they can’t receive the glucose, the glucose builds up in your blood, and your blood sugar levels skyrocket.
When your blood sugar stays higher than normal frequently or for a long period of time, it damages small blood vessels and nerves. Over time, this damage can lead to serious health complications, such as:
Type 2 diabetes doubles your risk of dying from stroke or heart disease.
When you have Type 1 diabetes, your symptoms may appear quickly. By comparison, the symptoms of Type 2 diabetes develop slowly over many years. However, both types cause the same symptoms:
With Type 2 diabetes, you may not show any symptoms until chronic high blood sugar creates a health problem.
Once you develop diabetes, it’s essential to keep your blood sugar within a normal range. The team develops a customized plan that may include:
To receive expert care for diabetes, call Arkangel Endocrinology & Diabetes or book an appointment online.