Hyperglycemia or high blood sugar generally affects people who suffer from diabetes. There are several factors that contribute to hyperglycemia in people who have diabetes, that include physical activities, lifestyle factors, food and medications or skipping or not taking on time the glucose lowering medication.
The blood glucose levels get elevated when there is too much sugar in the blood. When someone has hyperglycemia for longer periods of time, it can damage blood vessels, nerves and other body organs. But for a person who has been diagnosed with diabetes, having blood sugar that is higher than normal does not put them in immediate danger. Only if the sugar levels are continuously high then it may get problematic in the long run. Blood sugar levels, if there are too high for a longer period of time can affect both the small and big vessels of the body, and can lead to complications of heart, eyes, feet and also the kidneys.
What are the causes of high blood sugar?
* Forgetting or skipping the oral sugar lowering medication or insulin
* Eating too much food
* Eating wrong foods
* Illness
* Infection
* Sedentary Lifestyle
What are the symptoms of high blood sugar?
For those who have not been diagnosed with diabetes, having common high blood sugar symptoms may be a warning sign to it. But if you know that you have diabetes, and you experience the following symptoms, it is a warning or indication to make tweaks in your treatment plan as needed.
Feeling thirsty excessively – To restore the blood sugar balance, the body tries to get rid of the excess sugar through urine. Due to this, the kidneys tend to work overtime and try to absorb the excess sugar. But as they are not able to keep up with the load of glucose, fluids are pulled from tissues along with the excess sugar. The more fluids lost, the stronger is the urge to drink water.
Even after drinking a good amount of water, if your thirst is not quenched and you still have a dry mouth, this may be a good sign of you having high blood sugar.
Weight loss
If you are losing weight unintentionally, it can be an important sign of elevated blood sugar levels. This is found in children who tend to drink and urinate often. And this happens as the body is unable to use the sugar well.
Fatigue
If the sugar remains in the blood and is not taken to the cells for energy, the cells automatically become starved of food. This can in turn make you feel sluggish or fatigued. Most often, this happens after one has eaten a full meal and that too which is rich in carbohydrates
Increased Urination
If you are making frequent trips to the bathroom and that too in the night, it could be a sign of high blood sugar. It could be an outcome of kidneys trying to draw extra water out of the tissues so that the extra sugar in the blood gets diluted and gets rid of it through the urine.
Increased Hunger
If there is excess sugar in the bloodstream, it would mean that your body is not able to utilize it for fuel. Because of this the cells can become starved for energy and you may feel extra hungry. If you consume more carbohydrates than required, the blood sugars also would be elevated.
How to prevent high blood sugar levels?
It is easy to prevent high blood sugar levels. All you have to do is to work to keep your blood sugar under control, follow a scheduled meal plan, exercise regularly and also take your medicines on time. All this will keep your sugar levels normal.
You can also do the following
* Control your diet, especially avoid too much amount of carbohydrates in each of your meal and snacks
* Get your blood test regularly
* Talk to your doctor if there are repeated abnormal blood sugar readings.
What is the treatment for high blood sugar levels?
The doctor when treating you for high blood sugar will take into consideration a lot of factors that will include your overall health, age, frequency of high sugar levels. And for
a person who has been newly diagnosed with diabetes the doctor will also advice regarding self management of diabetes along with the medicines and insulin.
The following are a few lifestyle changes that are generally advised.
* Change in the diet that includes lowering the intake of carbohydrates and eating more fiber
* Getting more active and exercise, as this helps burn the glucose and also can help in decreasing the amount of it in the blood
* Shedding the extra pounds will help you to improve insulin sensitivity.
* Giving up smoking is also good as it is associated with high blood sugar levels
If you are looking for over the counter treatment options for high blood sugar levels, you need to know that there are only prescription medications for keeping your blood sugar levels healthy and that includes the following:
Oral Medications: The doctor will prescribe the medicines as per the person’s age, gender and other factors.
Insulin: People who have type 1 diabetes require multiple doses of insulin every day as their bodies do not produce the hormone naturally. And those who have type 2 diabetes with severely elevated blood sugar levels may be advised for insulin therapy.
Why Ravi hospital is the best for treatment of Diabetes?
If you are looking for treatment for Diabetes in KPHB, Hyderabad, then Dr. Ravi’s hospital in Kukatpally is the Best Hospital for Diabetes and Multispecialty Hospital in KPHB Colony, Kukatpally.
Though Diabetes is known as a common disease now, we understand that every individual comes with a unique problem and we take care of and treat them accordingly. Our specialists in the hospital are quite up to date with the latest techniques and medical approaches.
The hospital is also equipped with some of the best facilities and infrastructure to handle all kinds of serious illnesses. We have an excellent team of experienced and trained specialists who help manage all types of diabetes effectively. We are also open 24/7 for emergency or critical care.
