Diabetes

Untreated diabetes can lead to serious health complications, like heart disease and kidney damage. At Behnaz Behmanesh, DO, in Burbank, California, Dr. Behmanesh provides comprehensive diabetes care. She uses evidence-based methods to prevent, diagnose, and treat diabetes. To learn more about diabetes care, call the office or schedule an appointment online today.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects your body’s ability to process glucose (sugar). Insulin is a hormone your pancreas produces. It allows your cells to use glucose for energy. 

If you have diabetes, either your pancreas doesn’t produce insulin, or your body doesn’t use it efficiently. You need insulin to process glucose. Without it, glucose builds up in the blood and damages the blood vessel walls. 

What are the different types of diabetes?

Dr. Behmanesh treats three types of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas produces very little insulin or none at all. This autoimmune disease typically develops during childhood or adolescence, but can appear well into adulthood. Taking regular insulin injections is critical to maintain your insulin levels if you have Type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes

If you have Type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t use insulin as well as it should. While this chronic condition can develop in children and teens, it’s more common in middle-aged adults. Diet and lifestyle factors can contribute to the development of Type 2 diabetes. Poor diet, low exercise levels, and smoking cigarettes are common risk factors.

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes causes high blood sugar levels in pregnant women. While the condition usually resolves on its own after childbirth, gestational diabetes does increase your risk of Type 2 diabetes later in life.

What are the symptoms of diabetes?

Common symptoms of diabetes include:

• Frequent urination
• Increased thirst
• Fatigue
• Pain, numbness, or tingling in the hands or feet
• Vision problems
• Fatigue
• Dry skin

Slow-healing wounds can also develop when you have diabetes. Poor blood circulation from damage to the blood vessel walls may slow the healing process. As a result, many individuals with diabetes must take special care of their feet to ensure they don’t develop non-healing sores.

What are the treatments for diabetes?

Diabetes treatment typically depends on the type you have. Depending on your symptoms and medical history, Dr. Behmanesh may recommend:

• Weight loss
• Dietary changes
• Increasing exercise 
• Smoking cessation
• Carbohydrate counting
• Blood sugar monitoring
• Insulin pump or injections
• Diabetic foot care
• Medications

If you’re ready to seek treatment for diabetes, call the office of Behnaz Behmanesh, DO, or request an appointment online today.