Questions about Diabetes are answered by Dr. Ha Thu Thi Pham – Specialist Level 1 Doctor from the Outpatient Department at TCI Healthcare System.
Dr. Ha Thu Thi Pham – Specialist Level 1 Doctor from the Outpatient Department at TCI Healthcare System
Q: What is diabetes?
A: Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the body cannot produce enough insulin or cannot use the insulin it produces. Therefore, insulin cannot do its job effectively, which is regulating blood glucose. The sugar will accumulate in the blood and cause severe medical problems.
The three main types of diabetes are:
- Type 1 diabetes: The body attacks itself by mistake, destroying the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin.
- Type 2 diabetes: The body cannot use insulin properly and effectively, causing unusual blood sugar levels.
- Gestational diabetes: high blood sugar level that develops during pregnancy. However, it will usually disappear after birth.
Q: Are diabetics at higher risk of pneumonia?
A: Yes. Diabetes weakens your immune system; therefore, developing the risk of pneumonia.
Q: Can diabetes ever go away on its own?
A: There is no cure yet for type 2 diabetes. However, you can reverse the condition and achieve a glucose level that returns to the non-diabetes range. At that point, you might not need medication to manage the illness from suffering any effects from having high blood sugar levels. Having healthy lifestyles and maintaining a healthy diet are two key components for remission.
Q: What are the complications of diabetes?
A: Major complications of diabetes are
- Vision problems
- Serious feet-related diseases
- Heart attack and stroke
- Chronic kidney diseases
- Nerve damage
- Gum disease and other oral problems
- Hearing problems
Q: Is diabetes contagious?
A: No. Diabetes cannot be transferred from person-to-person through sexual contact, saliva, or blood. However, experts believe that diabetes is a genetic disease as it can be passed on from parents to their children genetically.
Q: Does it mean that you have diabetes if there are ants around your urine?
A: If you see ants congregating around your urine, your system might contain too much sugar. However, having urine attracting ants is not an accurate sign to diagnose a diabetic since there are many other different components in urine. Blood tests are necessary to determine if you have diabetes.
