Type 1 Diabetes Treatment - Knowing the Traditional and Latest Methods

Type 1 diabetes is also known as "juvenile diabetes" because it typically appears during childhood or adolescence.Typical in the treatment of all diabetic patients, the initial concern in the type 1 diabetes treatment is to maintain blood sugar near the normal level to delay or prevent any complications. There is a 50% expectancy rate for complications like heart attack and stroke to take place if the blood sugar level is not controlled.

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic disease because the pancreas produces little or no insulin at all due to a disorder in the autoimmune system of the body. The immune system treats its own tissues as foreign bodies wherein the insulin producing islet cells of the pancreas is seen by the autoimmune system as an opponent by mistake and as a result, antibodies are then produced to destroy the islet cells. The chain of events following the body's natural reaction due to lack of insulin will now cause hormonal imbalance leading to Type 1 diabetes.

The autoimmune deficiency on the other hand is often linked to a genetic disorder or the effect of a contracted viral infection such as rubella, mumps, measles, cytomegalovirus, encephalitis, influenza, Epstein-Barr virus or polio. In some cases, other causes accounted for include the presence of toxins in the pancreas, surgical removal of the pancreas or trauma. Basically however, the exact cause still remains unknown.

Other forms of type 1 diabetes treatments are often considered as demoralizing, hence, part of the therapy includes pyschological counsel to the afflicted to take things one day at a time. The patient has to be reminded that there are so many sufferers of diabetes and the majority were able to manage their sickness with very little or no problem at all.

The traditional and latest methods in treating type1diabetes include the following:

1. Daily injection of insulin or the use of an insulin pump. An insulin pump is a gadget about the size of an MP4 worn outside the body. A tube is connected from the insulin reservoir to a catheter that is placed underneath the skin of the abdomen. The insulin is automatically dispensed and can be adjusted by the user.

2. Monitoring the level of blood sugar level up to four times at the least.by using a blood sugar meter specially designed for home use.

3. Spreading the consumption of carbohydrates to prevent the rise of blood sugar level after each meal.

4. Physical exercise that is regular in nature to reduce heart disease and improve the sensitivity of the body in the use of insulin.

5. The usual medical check-ups to track eye, heart, kidney, blood vessel, heart and nerve complications.

6. Keeping yourself alcohol and tobacco free.

7. Avoidance from stress to let the insulin function properly.

8. Eating plenty of fruits, whole grains, vegetables and other foods that are less in fat and calories.

9. Pancreas transplant may be empoloyed for people with uncontrolled diabetes and with severe complications. If successful, insulin therapy is no longer needed. If otherwise, the surgery entails great risks which may even be far dangerous than diabetes.

10. The current techniques and drugs to prevent islet cell rejection show promising results for the future of diabetics.

11. Stem cell transplant coming from the blood of the afflicted was introduced in Brazil in 2007 but can be risky. However, the results were promising since type 1 diabetes treatment with the use of insulin was halted after following the success of this procedure. This is currently considered as an additional treatment in the future.

Although various researches are being undertaken, like the creation of a computerized artificial pancreas, this has still a long way to go to be considered as an effective type 1 diabetes treatment. As a precautionary measure, always visit your doctor regularly to ensure that the treatment programs are working properly.