Diabetes Physiotherapy

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Diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which the body is unable to appropriately regulate the level of sugar, specifically glucose, in the blood, either by poor sensitivity to the protein insulin, or due to inadequate production of insulin by the pancreas.
Evidences strongly support that physiotherapists play a significant role in the prevention, treatment and management of diabetes mellitus and its associated complications. Physiotherapy management, including exercise prescription and education, help patients participation improve and maintain physical well-being which has a significant impact on their activities of daily living and health-related quality of life

Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90-95% of all diabetes cases.
Diabetes itself is not a high-mortality condition, but it is a major risk factor for other causes of death and has a high attributable burden of disability.
Diabetes is also a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and blindness.
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All you Need to know about Diabetes
What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a medical condition, wherein your pancreas does not produce the right amount of Insu*lin (either none at all, or not enough) or there is Insulin resistance where the body cells fail to respond normally to the hormone Insulin. It plays an important role in helping glucose to enter into human body cells.

When you have Diabetes, the glucose in the blood stream cannot be absorbed correctly and the excess glucose in blood which would normally be used in the body remains within the blood, causing high blood sugar level. If not treated it can cause long-term complications such as hypertension, heart disease, kidney damage, stroke, circulatory problems and damaged vision. This disease along with its complications has got crippling effect on patient’s health.

Central obesity (abdominal obesity) is the main cause of this disease in our country. It has a strong genetic predisposition leading to the transmission of this disease on to the generations.

Types of Diabetes

There are different types of Diabetes, but a majority of the population falls in the categories mentioned below –

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus – commonly seen in adults. If you have type 2 Diabetes your body does not use Insu* lin properly. This is called as Insu* lin Resistance. At initial phase , your body makes extra Insu* lin to make up for it. But, over the time it can’t make enough Insu* lin to keep your blood glucose at normal level.
Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus – commonly seen in children – Type 1 Diabetes is usually diagnosed in children , and was previously known as Juvenile Diabetes. Only 5% of people with Diabetes have this form of the disease. In type 1 Diabetes, body does not produce Insulin at all; hence these patients have to be on lifelong Insulin therapy which is presently available in injection form. Managing Diabetes in children is a herculean task needs lot of counseling to patient and patient’s family. Managing child’s growth mile stone with tight blood sugar control needs lot of skill.
Gestational Diabetes -Diabetes first time diagnosed during pregnancy is called as Geastational Diabetes.Patient may remain diabetic even after birth of the baby.
Other Types –
– Stress Induced Diabetes.

– Drug induced Diabetes etc..

Common Symptoms of Diabetes
Common symptoms of Diabetes includes

Excess urination
Excess thirst
Extreme hunger
Irritability
Sudden weight loss
Fatigue

Prevalence of Diabetes in India
Diabetes is rapidly emerging as a major public health problem in India, not only in urban areas but also in the rural areas. In India about 60 million people are estimated to suffer from Diabetes and number is expected to double by 2040. India has become world’s second largest Diabetes capital…If we see the disease profile and its spread in near future; we would beat China and become the capital of this sweet disease. The increase in prevalence is due to rapid urbanization, changing lifestyle and also due to genetic predisposition.
Need of Specialist in Diabetes management
If Diabetes is suspected, it is important to see a Diabetologist so that an accurate diagnosis can be made and appropriate treatment can be given. Diabetologist at sweet clinics will not only treat your blood sugars but planned his prescription to prevent target organ damage (heart, kidney, eyes, nerves, foot etc) and save you from long term complications of Diabetes. It has been proven by various trails that tight blood sugar control can save us from agony of repeated hospitalization.
Need of Proactive Diabetes management
While Diabetes cannot be cured, it can be controlled. The aim of treatment is to maintain healthy blood glucose levels to prevent Diabetic complications. Long-term complications of Type 2 Diabetes are Diabetic Retinopathy, Nephropathy, Neuropathy, and macro-vascular complications like Cardio-vascular Disease and Stroke.

Patients are normally treated for the symptoms, they present rather than working towards preventing or delaying Diabetes and the onset of related complications. Management of Diabetes is thus more reactive than proactive.

Complication of Diabetes
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is a complication of long standing uncontrolled blood sugars affecting nerves specially affecting feet and legs. In rare cases, it affects back, arm and abdomen.

If got detected early, it is reversible condition but if not detected and treated can lead to Diabetic foot wounds and amputations.

Simple foot care can save us from this amputation trauma-

Prevention of Diabetes
Diabetes is a life style disease and needs life style modification for prevention.Healthy food habits and regular exercise play vital role in prevention of Diabetes. Well balanced and timely meals help keeping weight under control. Small frequent feed rather than two heavy meals is basic of any diet plan. Avoid outside food and fast food items.Daily exercise can maintain your weight goals and stimulate your pancreas to secret adequate Insu* lin . Making few simple changes in your lifestyle now can help you to avoid serious health complications of Diabetes down the road.
If got detected early, it is reversible condition but if not detected and treated can lead to Diabetic foot wounds and amputations.

Simple foot care can save us from this amputation trauma-