Diabetes is a condition that impairs the body's ability to produce or use insulin. Insulin, a peptide hormone, facilitates the body's use of blood sugar for energy. Diabetes causes unusually high levels of blood sugar (blood glucose).
Diabetes causes severe damage to blood vessels and nerves over time, resulting in a variety of symptoms such as:
Blurry vision
Numbness and tingling in the palms and feet
Increase the chances of a heart attack or stroke
A diabetes test allows an individual to begin treatment and make changes for a healthy lifestyle.
Who Should Go for a Diabetes Test?
Individuals must go for a diabetes test if they experience any of the following early symptoms, which can occur at any time:
Being excessively thirsty
Feeling constantly tired
Feeling constantly hungry still after eating
Having vision problems
Urinating more frequently than usual
Having wounds or cuts that don’t heal or take more time than expected
Different Types of Diabetes Test
There are mainly three types of diabetes tests namely blood tests, urine tests, and gestational tests. A doctor will recommend them depending on the individual’s condition.
Blood Tests
There are some different types of blood tests to diagnose diabetes:
The A1c method assesses the average blood sugar over a three-month period. The test only necessitates the collection of a small amount of blood.
A random blood sugar test includes taking blood at any time, regardless of when the individual last ate.
Fasting blood sugar tests require the individual to have their blood drawn after they have fasted overnight, which typically indicates not eating for 8 to 12 hours.
Urine Tests
Diabetes is not always diagnosed using urine tests. They are frequently used by doctors if they suspect an individual has type 1 diabetes. When fat tissue has been used for energy rather than blood sugar, the body releases ketone bodies. These ketone bodies can be detected via urine tests.
Gestational Tests
When a woman is pregnant, she may develop gestational diabetes. Women who have risk factors for diabetes should go for a diabetes test during their first visit to see if they already have the condition. Gestational diabetes occurs during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.
Comments