How to diagnose Diabetes?

Diabetes diagnosis tests
High level of glucose in blood and later appear in urine is called as diabetes mellitus. So glucose is the most important test to a diabetic. The fasting blood glucose level test is the most common screening diagnosis test for diabetes and pre-diabetes. It is usually ordered when someone has symptoms of diabetes or for a person having high diabetes risk factors.
Pre diabetes, diabetes type 1, diabetes type 2 and gestational diabetes are all diagnosed only through blood tests. Even if the result is positive, it should be reconfirmed on another day.


Fasting plasma glucose test (FPG): According to the American Diabetes Association, either a fasting plasma glucose (fasting for about 8 hour) or an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) may be used to diagnose diabetes and pre-diabetes. But normally recommends the fasting plasma glucose test because it is easier, faster, and less expensive to perform compared to oral glucose tolerance test. Fasting plasma glucose test measures blood glucose level in blood after 12 to 14 hours of fasting and it is used in diabetes diagnosis.

Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT): OGTT requires to having a fasting plasma glucose test, followed by drinking a standard amount of glucose solution to “challenge” their system, followed by another plasma glucose test 2 hours later. If there is any abnormal result, either test should be repeated on another day to confirm a diagnosis of diabetes. The oral glucose tolerance test measures the body’s ability in glucose metabolism and clearing excess glucose in bloodstream.

Random plasma glucose test : The random plasma glucose test measures plasma glucose levels at any time without fasting or no worry about what you have ate, so called as casual plasma glucose test. The random plasma glucose test measures plasma glucose levels without fasting or no worry about what you have ate, so called as casual plasma glucose test.

Glucose challenge test: Gestational diabetes is usually diagnosed using a glucose challenge test (GCT) as a screen, followed by OGTT if the screen test result is abnormal.

Diabetics must monitor their own blood glucose levels, often several times a day, to determine how far above or below their glucose level is and, based on their doctor’s recommendation. This is usually done by placing a drop of blood (obtained by pricking the skin with a small lancet device), onto a glucose strip and then inserting the strip into the glucose monitor, a small electronic machine that provides a digital readout of the blood glucose level.

Glycated hemoglobin A1C: A1c (also called hemoglobin A1c or glycohemoglobin or Glycated hemoglobin A1C) is a test that is recommended several times a year to monitor patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. It is a measure of the average amount of glucose present in the blood over the last 2 to 3 months, which helps the doctor to find how well a treatment plan is working to control the patient’s blood glucose levels over time.

Types of Diabetes

Diabetes types : Diabetes are broadly classified into 2 groups, they are type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. It is sub-classified into pre-diabetes and gestational diabetes.

Diabetes mellitus can be broadly classified into two categories, they are

• type 1 and
• type 2

Type 2 diabetes has to other sub types, they are

• gestational diabetes and
• pre-diabetes

"Type 1 diabetes" is also being called as childhood-onset diabetes, juvenile diabetes, and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Likewise, "type 2 diabetes" is also being called as adult-onset diabetes, obesity-related diabetes, and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM).

Beyond these two types, there is no standard diabetes types, but various sources have defined "type 3 diabetes" as: gestational diabetes, insulin-resistant type 1 diabetes or double diabetes, type 2 diabetes which requires injected insulin, and latent autoimmune diabetes of adults (or LADA or "type 1.5" diabetes).

Type 1 diabetes :Type 1 diabetes mellitus is characterized by loss of the insulin producing beta cells in the pancreas which leads to insulin deficiency. The majority of type 1 diabetes is of beta cell loss by autoimmune attack. There is no known preventive measure against type 1 diabetes, which causes approximately 10% of diabetes mellitus cases. Type 1 diabetes can affect children or adults but was previously termed "juvenile diabetes or childhood-onset diabetes" because it represents a majority of the diabetes cases in children.

Type 2 diabetes : Type 2 diabetes mellitus is characterized by insulin resistance which may be combined with relatively reduced insulin secretion. The improper utilization or sensitivity of body tissues to insulin is believed to involve the insulin receptor. However, the specific defects are not known, but excess fat deposits in the muscle cell are assumed to be the cause. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. In the early stage of type 2 diabetes, the abnormality in insulin sensitivity can be overcome by medication that improve insulin sensitivity or reduce the production of glucose by liver. As the disease progresses, due to low level of insulin secretion a therapeutic replacement of insulin often becomes necessary.

Diabetes Sign and Symptoms

Diabetes symptoms
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic and complex disease, which can affect the entire body. Diabetes is caused by having too much glucose or sugar in the blood.

Common diabetes symptoms are frequent urination and thirsty, sudden weight loss or gain, blurred vision and heavy hunger.

Body system tries to normalize high level of glucose in blood by different means causing some unusual symptoms called as diabetes symptoms.

Some of the most common diabetes symptoms are:

• Frequent urination - Frequent urination does not means two or three time urination than normal, but it means doubled or tripled urination than normal.
• Frequent or too much thirsty - Frequent thirst means even after drinking enough water, there will be thirst with very short time.
• Sudden weight loss or gain - Sudden weight loss or gain will be noted within few day, may be within a month.
• Blurred vision - Even after a good night sleep, there is a blurred vision and difficult to concentrate.
• Heavy hunger - Immediately after a heavy meal there is a feeling of hunger.
• Increased fatigue – Even if having the meals in time and have rest as usual, there is a feeling of tired and fatigue.
• Poor wound healing – If having hurt which heals very slowly than normal.• Irritability – Mentally feel tired and irritable.

If have many of these diabetes symptoms, then it is advisable to have a blood test to measure glucose level in blood. And if proved positive then it is must to maintain the blood glucose level near normal, because long term of badly maintained blood glucose level may lead to many diabetes complications such as; nerve damage, eye damage, kidney problems, heart attack, brain stroke, erectile dysfunction, depression and amputation.

Diabetes causes | Diabetes risk factors

Diabetes risk factors (chances of getting diabetes)
Some of the factors can increases the chances of having diabetes called as diabetes risk factors.

Carbohydrate metabolism
Carbohydrate is broken down in stomach and glucose is separated by the small intestine and realized in to the blood stream. On seeing the level of glucose in blood pancreas will release certain quantity of insulin with respect to the level of glucose in blood. Glucose is start consumed by the body once insulin is secreted by pancreas into the blood stream. After glucose consumption, the excess of glucose is stored in the liver by converting glucose into glucogen.

If no food consumed for certain period of time, then there will be shortage of glucose in blood. Low glucose level means low level of insulin in blood, on seeing this liver convert stored glucogen into glucose and realized into the blood stream to maintain blood glucose level.

Human Insulin hormone
The above said all glucose related conversions are controlled by insulin secreted by the pancreas. Insulin is a hormone and it is the controlling or commenting signal that controls carbohydrate metabolism and helps to maintain normal blood glucose level in blood.

Family history of diabetes - If mother had diabetes then there are chances to have diabetes, if father had diabetes then chances to have diabetes is more and if both father and mother had diabetes then chances to have diabetes is much more.

Obesity – being over weight or obese can increases the chances of insulin resistance that in-turn leads to high blood glucose level called diabetes.


Sedentary life – Certain amount of physical activity is a must for the body to perform well. But today’s sedentary life isolates us from any physical activity that leads to obesity or over weight. Also low physical activity increases the blood glucose level because of low utilization (burning of glucose)


and bad food habits.


Organ defect may causes diabetes ; Pancreas, liver and muscle cells are responsible for glucose metabolism and if there is any defect in this organ may end up with diabetes.


Gestational diabetes – If a mother had gestational diabetes during pregnancy then there are more chances of having diabetes for both the mother and the baby in the age advances.

Diabetes Information Guide

Diabetes Information


Diabetes mellitus is a chronic and complex disease, which can affect the entire body. Diabetes is caused by having too much glucose (sugar) in the blood.

Diabetes is also called by diabetes mellitus, high blood glucose, high blood sugar.

Diabetes may be caused by any defect in the carbohydrate metabolism ; Carbohydrate is broken down in stomach and glucose is separated and realized in to the blood stream and it is consumed by the body cell once insulin is secreted by pancreas.

Carbohydrate metabolism can be other wish called as glucose metabolism or sugar metabolism.

Now-a-day's number of people with diabetes is increases very steeply, may be because of our modern life style such as our over nutritious food than requirement, no physical activity, bad food habits (eating too much junk foods) and overweight or obese.

Diseases and its treatment guide

Alternative medicine Diabetes
Alternative medicine practitioners believe that a treatment is possible for diabetes by enlivening the pancreatic cells, which are responsible for this illness.

Diabetes natural herbs : Natural herbs for diabetes believed to control blood glucose, additionally it benefits pancreas, liver, kidney, heart and eye, which are behind the cause of diabetes or may affected in long run.


Diabetes homeopathic remedies : Diabetes Homeopathic uses very small doses for treatment, so no side effects. It can support in diabetes treatment by stimulating the internal organs.


Diabetes Yoga : Diabetes yoga can effectively support diabetes treatment, by massaging internal organs particularly activating glandular systems responsible for its cause.


Diabetes Acupressure : Many patients found diabetes acupressure decreases the severity of their diabetes by normalizing qi flow to organs causing diabetes.


Diabetes Reflexology : Diabetes Reflexology is simple to do and no side effects it has many benefits not only in controlling blood glucose, but to overall body system.