If you experience increased thirst or urination, fatigue, or nerve problems, you might have diabetes. At San Antonio Premier Internal Medicine, with three locations in San Antonio, Texas, the experienced primary care physicians diagnose and help you manage diabetes to reduce the risk of debilitating medical problems. Call the office to schedule an appointment or book one online today.
Diabetes is a common chronic disease that affects over 10% of the population. It occurs when your body doesn’t efficiently regulate the amount of sugar in your bloodstream, which over time causes complications when left untreated.
If you have Type 1 diabetes, your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, a hormone that moves sugar from your bloodstream to other body tissues. Type 2 diabetes occurs when you can’t properly utilize insulin within your body. Prediabetes develops before Type 2 diabetes and causes higher-than-normal blood sugar levels. Gestational diabetes appears during pregnancy.
The following symptoms are common in people with diabetes:
When left untreated, diabetes can cause nerve damage, heart or kidney problems, skin conditions, eye damage, foot problems, dementia, and even depression.
Factors that increase your chance of developing diabetes, particularly Type 2 diabetes, include:
Adopting healthy habits and proper weight management are the best ways to keep your risk of diabetes low.
To find out if you have diabetes, your San Antonio Premier Internal Medicine provider asks about your symptoms, medical history, and lifestyle habits. They check your vital signs, complete a physical exam, and order blood tests to evaluate your blood sugar levels and develop an effective treatment.
Depending on the type of diabetes, your San Antonio Premier Internal Medicine specialist may recommend making lifestyle changes, taking oral medicines, or receiving insulin injections. You might need more than one type of diabetes treatment.
San Antonio Premier Internal Medicine offers medical weight management to lessen the symptoms of Type 2 diabetes. They also provide nutrition counseling, exercise prescriptions, and medical management of high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Your provider monitors your blood sugar periodically to ensure it stays within a normal range. They also adjust your treatment plan, if necessary.
To get screened or treated for diabetes, call the San Antonio Premier Internal Medicine office or book your appointment online today.