What is Diabetes Mellitus.docx

1. What is Diabetes Mellitus? Diabetes Mellitus is a condition that affects how your body uses glucose produced from the food you eat. It is also known as Diabetes. When you consume some food item that contains carbohydrates, your body turns it into glucose and takes help from Insulin to transport it to different tissues through the bloodstream. Insulin is one of the hormones that the pancreas produces. In most cases, diabetes mellitus can result in devastating complications if left untreated. For almost all types of this disease, insulin is recommended. This is because when you have diabetes, your body stops making or using enough Insulin to manage the glucose level. As a result, blood glucose starts accumulating and causes severe effects like kidney failure, eye or ear infections, etc. Your risk of developing Diabetes Diabetes is a serious condition whose ultimate cause is not yet known. However, certain factors can help you determine whether you are at risk of developing this disease or not. These may include:  Family history- Having a parent, brother, or sister with diabetes.  Age- Being aged above 45 years.  Weight- Being overweight for a very long time.  Prediabetes- Being diagnosed with prediabetes.  Fatty liver disease- Being diagnosed with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.  Physical activity- Being less active for more than 3 months.

2. Diabetes and other conditions Diabetes becomes severe with time. It is often linked to other conditions. For example, diabetes and cancer are related to each other through chemotherapy medicines. This means that many prescription drugs stimulate the immune system in destroying insulin-producing agents. Other diseases that may have a connection with diabetes are as follows:  Coeliac disease: It is a condition in which your body’s defense system attacks the tissues.  Thyroid disease: It is a disease in which your thyroid gland starts to produce more or fewer hormones.  Limited joint mobility: This is also known as the limitation of joint movement.  Frozen shoulder: In this condition, your shoulder movement becomes limited.  Necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum: A common type of skin rash that occurs mostly in women.  Mastopathy: It is a non-cancerous change in the breast tissue.  Polycystic ovary syndrome: It is a disease that involves irregular menstrual periods.  Hemochromatosis: This is a condition in which the body starts storing too much iron.  Dupuytren’s contracture: In this condition, your hand’s skin becomes thick and tightens.  Trigger finger: In this condition, your fingers get stuck in one position (usually bent position).  Carpal tunnel syndrome: It is a disease that causes numbness and pain in the hands.  Diabetes insipidus: This is a disease that causes a fluid imbalance in the body. Diabetes Mellitus can cause other conditions also. Check with your doctor if you think you are at risk of developing this disease. Source: http://writeus.me/what-is-diabetes-mellitus/