Diabetes Specialist

Raritan Family Healthcare

Primary Care Practice & Family Medicine located in Raritan, NJ & Bedminister, NJ

Once you have diabetes, the disease isn’t curable with current treatments. That means you must diligently keep your blood sugar in the normal range to prevent serious health problems. As a Diabetes Center of Excellence, Raritan Family Healthcare gives you access to a team of compassionate and experienced providers offering comprehensive diabetes care. With the right tools and support, you can live a healthy life despite having diabetes. To schedule an appointment, call the office in Raritan or Bedminster, New Jersey, or book an appointment online today.

Diabetes Q & A

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic condition that causes high blood sugar (glucose). The disease occurs when your pancreas can't produce insulin or when your body can't use the insulin that the pancreas releases into your bloodstream.

Insulin is a hormone that removes excess sugar from your bloodstream. When you eat carbohydrates, your blood sugar naturally spikes. Then your pancreas sends out insulin, which restores normal blood sugar levels by escorting sugar into cells or sending it to be stored as fat.

What are the different types of diabetes?

You can develop two primary types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. Some women develop gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy and disappears after delivery.

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder that develops when your immune system damages the pancreas and stops it from producing insulin. This type typically appears in childhood but can develop at a later age.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes usually appears in adults but is increasingly diagnosed in teens. This type begins as a condition called insulin resistance, which means cells stop responding to insulin.

Though your pancreas keeps releasing insulin, your blood sugar stays higher than normal. At this stage, called prediabetes, you can prevent diabetes. But without treatment, insulin resistance turns into full-blown Type 2 diabetes.

What complications does diabetes cause?

High blood sugar damages your small blood vessels and nerves. These changes cause serious problems such as:

Cardiovascular disease
Peripheral artery disease
Peripheral nerve damage
Chronic kidney disease
Kidney failure
Diabetic retinopathy
Vision loss
Diabetic foot ulcers
Foot amputation

Diabetes also doubles your risk for heart disease and stroke.

What symptoms develop due to diabetes?

All types of diabetes cause symptoms such as:

Excessive thirst
Increased hunger
Dry, itchy skin
Tingling in your feet
Non-healing sores on your feet

In Type 1 diabetes, the symptoms appear quickly. Type 2 diabetes develops slowly over many years, causing gradual symptoms.

How is diabetes treated?

The comprehensive diabetes treatment available at Raritan Family Healthcare includes:

Diabetes education

Your provider teaches you about healthy meal plans, how to check your blood sugar, inject insulin, and other tips for staying healthy with diabetes.

Lifestyle changes

When you have diabetes, it's essential to monitor your carbohydrate consumption. Exercise and weight loss also help keep your blood sugar stable. Raritan Family Healthcare supports you with information and a plan to implement lifestyle changes.

Medications

People with Type 1 diabetes need to take insulin. For those with Type 2 diabetes, lifestyle changes may be enough to maintain normal blood sugar levels, but if they don't, you need medications to lower your blood sugar.

If you need ongoing diabetes care, call Raritan Family Healthcare or book an appointment online today.

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