It’s National Diabetes Awareness Month and AFC Urgent Care Marlborough encourages you to know your risk factors and control what’s controllable for your health. Millions of people are affected by this chronic health condition in the U.S and the numbers are on the rise each year. There are also millions who live their lives undiagnosed or who are not aware of the symptoms and signs that could be leading them to one of the more serious types of diabetes.
Being prediabetic is another health concern in and of itself, and puts you at a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. With that being said, AFC Urgent Care Marlborough is here to educate you on risk factors and warning signs of diabetes and to give you 4 reasons why you should get checked for diabetes.
How common is diabetes and should I be worried?
Diabetes is more common than you think. If you’ve ever answered yes to the question, ‘Do you have a family history of Diabetes’, then you should be worried for your own health too. Every year there is always updated information on the disease and people affected by Diabetes and it’s different types. A recent study on Diabetes in the United States from the CDC show that:
- 30.3 million people have diabetes
- 84.1 million adults aged 18 years or older have prediabetes (approximately one third of the U.S Population)
- 23.1 million adults aged 65 years or older have prediabetes
Looking at these numbers can be alarming (!!!), especially when we see the population who have prediabetes. Prediabetics have elevated blood sugar levels, but are not high enough yet to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Do you or a loved one fit that population of being prediabetic? If so, it is important to get your blood sugar levels checked regularly as diabetes can affect anyone at any age.
Diabetes comes with a rollercoaster of symptoms and risk factors
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms you may be at risk for developing prediabetes and/or one of the few types of diabetes. Some might say it feels like a rollercoaster when symptoms are triggered:
- Increased thirst and urination
- Increased hunger
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Numbness or tingling in the feet or hands
- Sores that do not heal
- Unexplained weight loss
- Have prediabetes
- Are overweight (childhood obesity counts)
- Are 45 years or older
- Have a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes
- Are physically active less than 3 times a week
- Have ever had gestational diabetes or given birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds
- Have high blood pressure or take medicine for high blood pressure
- Have high cholesterol blood levels
Diabetes raises your risk for other dangerous health conditions
This year's National Diabetes Awareness Month's main focus focuses on the link between the disease and cardiovascular disease. Having diabetes raises your risk for developing other dangerous conditions such as:
- Heart disease
- Heart Attack
- Stroke
- Kidney disease
- Nerve damage
- Eye problems
Your lifestyle can say a lot about your physical health. If you also smoke, you’re increasing your risk of developing one or more of these other health complications. This is because smoking narrows blood vessels, which makes it harder for your heart to function as it should.
If you’re pregnant you’re also at risk for gestational diabetes
Gestational Diabetes can affect both the mother and child during and after pregnancy. During their final trimester, pregnant women are at risk of developing gestational diabetes due to an increase in hormones. It’s important during this time to make sure you protect your newborn from developing diabetes by managing it with a doctor beforehand. If you do develop gestational diabetes, you still have a chance to prevent yourself from developing type 2 diabetes down the road. In addition, protecting your child now will prevent them from developing diabetes early on in their lives as well.
AFC Urgent Care Marlborough encourages everyone to get screened and have their blood sugars checked regularly
Having your blood sugar levels checked regularly reduces your risk of developing diabetes. If you need to get your blood sugar levels checked, come see us. We will screen you and if necessary, refer you out to a diabetes specialist for further evaluation.
You can walk right in, with no appointment necessary, to our AFC Urgent Care center located at 38 Boston Post Road West, Marlborough, MA.
We accept most insurances and we also offer a low cost self-pay option as well.
