How to treat diabetes using Leech therapy.
Diabetes mellitus is defined as a metabolic disorder of multiple aetiologies that is characterized by chronic hyperglycemia (increased blood sugar) with disturbances in the metabolism of carbohydrate, fat, and protein which results from defects in insulin production, insulin action, or both from the beta cells of the pancreas.
The long-term effects of diabetes include damage, dysfunction, and failure of various organs in the body. The long-term effects include:-
- The progressive development of retinopathy with potential blindness
- Nephropathy that may lead to renal failure
- Neuropathy with the risk of foot ulcers
- Amputation
- Charcot’s joints
- Features of autonomic dysfunction
- Sexual dysfunction.
Causes and risk factor for diabetes mellitus
Diabetes, either type 1 or type 2, has equally strong genetic and environmental risk factors, an interaction of which leads to the clinical expression of the disease. The genetic susceptibility for type 1 is associated with certain human leukocyte antigen (HLA) combinations (DR3+DR4) and the environmental insults are rather ill-defined.
Possibility of some aspects of diet and viral infections triggering an autoimmune exposure causing specific destruction of the β-cells of the pancreas has been proposed.
Type 2 diabetes has a more complex etiopathology. Though it has a strong genetic basis, as shown by its hereditary nature, the major susceptibility genes have not yet been identified. Racial predisposition as seen in Asian populations also is common.
The environmental factors showing a strong association with diabetes are
- Increasing age
- Family history of diabetes
- Obesity
- Unhealthy diet
- Physical inactivity
- Insulin resistance
- Adverse intrauterine environment
- Stress factors.
The pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes includes
- Impaired insulin secretion,
- Impaired insulin action,
- Insulin resistance and
- impaired incretin effect on the β-cell function and
- Non-suppression of the action of α-cells, with rising blood glucose levels.
Symptoms of diabetes mellitus
- Increased thirst with dry mouth
- Polyuria (increased frequency of urination)
- Nocturia (increased frequency of urine in the night)
- Tiredness,
- Fatigue and lethargy
- A noticeable change in weight (usually weight loss)
- Blurring of vision
- Pruritus vulvae (itching in female genital)
- Balanitis (genital candidiasis)
- Nausea
- Headache
- Hyperphagia; a predilection for sweet foods
- Mood change,
- Irritability,
- Difficulty in concentrating,
- Apathy