Several methods can reduce high blood sugar levels at home. Here's how to lower blood glucose, when to go to the emergency room, and when to see a…. Diabetes is more prevalent in certain racial and ethnic groups, including Black Americans. This may be due to genetic, social, and health factors. NPH insulin is an intermediate-acting insulin that helps keep your blood sugar stable between meals or overnight.
Learn more about how long it takes…. Human insulin is synthetically made in a lab and is able to replicate the insulin naturally found in your body. Learn more about the pros and cons of…. An insulin pump is an alternative to giving yourself multiple daily insulin injections.
It's mostly used for type 1 diabetes, and has both pros and…. Here's how. These two conditions occur as complications of diabetes, but they are different. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Hyperglycemia vs. Symptom chart Causes Prevention Signs of emergency When to see a doctor Takeaway Hyperglycemia is high blood sugar, while hypoglycemia is low blood sugar.
Symptom comparison chart. Blood sugar level Symptoms Hypoglycemia hunger irritability trouble concentrating fatigue sweating confusion fast heartbeat shaking headache Hyperglycemia extreme thirst dry mouth weakness headache frequent urination blurry vision nausea confusion shortness of breath. How do hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia occur? Sugar wreaks havoc on our health. Among its many adverse effects , it can cause our blood glucose levels to spike and plummet; it can interfere with immune function and increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease ; it can accelerate aging and tooth decay; it can have adverse effects on behavior.
In short, sugar is bad news. And the levels of sugar or, more specifically, glucose in our blood, play a direct role in our health. Hypo comes from the Greek word hupo , which translates as under or, more typically, less. Hyper is also a holdover from the Greeks, from the Greek word huper , which translates as over or above. So extending that logic, hypo glycemia is a low blood sugar level and hyper glycemia is a high blood sugar level.
Maintaining a consistent blood sugar level is a key component of optimal health. When we eat sugar, our body creates a surge of the feel-good brain chemicals dopamine and serotonin. Immediately following, our pancreas kicks into gear producing insulin to absorb the excess glucose and help regulate our blood.
Once the insulin has done its job, our blood sugar drops again, leaving us feeling cranky and drained. Our body craves more sugar to give it a temporary boost and the cycle continues. Hypoglycemia can be quite dangerous, and in extreme cases it can cause you to become confused or even to lose consciousness when there is not enough glucose for the brain to adequately function.
Most people with diabetes are able to recognize the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia as their glucose levels are trending low before severe hypoglycemia occurs. These warning signs are due to the release of other body hormones mainly the hormone adrenaline that alerts you to oncoming hypoglycemia.
Several factors can increase the risk of being unaware of hypoglycemic episodes including having repeated episodes of hypoglycemia, going low while sleeping, exercise, consuming alcohol, having specific diabetes complications like neuropathy , or taking certain prescription drugs.
Because hypoglycemia unawareness more often occurs in those who were diagnosed with diabetes decades before, in addition to the risk factors mentioned, is more commonly occurs in people over the age of Effective diabetes management is an attempt to stay in the target glucose range.
For most people with diabetes, these are the recommended TIR goals If you have gestational diabetes, are pregnant and you have type 1 diabetes, or are elderly or high-risk, your TIR goals may differ :.
While it can sometimes be easy to recognize signs and tell the difference between hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia, at other times it can be hard to tell them apart because of some overlap. For example, confusion and headaches can occur in both cases. Try to be aware of any symptoms you experience that can help you differentiate between the two conditions.
And talk to your care team to see if getting a CGM is something that could benefit you. CGM is a great tool to help you know when you are too high or too low.
Though not everyone experiences all of these symptoms every time, and it may take time to learn to recognize these symptoms quickly, here is what can occur with hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia:. The purpose of diabetes management is to regulate high and low glucose levels when they occur.
If you are on insulin, you may need to take a correction dose if your glucose level is too high, after discussing with your health care team. Exercise — for example, you can go on a walk to bring your glucose levels down. Be sure to check your glucose level prior to exercising. Make sure that you stick to your medication regimen. Talk to your healthcare professional if this regimen is not keeping your glucose in range.
Have an emergency hypoglycemia kit that is easily accessible and with you at all times. This can lead to blurred vision, difficulty concentrating, confused thinking, slurred speech, numbness, and drowsiness. If blood sugar stays low for too long, starving the brain of glucose, it may lead to seizures, coma and very rarely death. The rule—have 15 grams of carbohydrate to raise your blood sugar and check it after 15 minutes. This may be:. Make a note about any episodes of low blood sugar and talk with your health care team about why it happened.
They can suggest ways to avoid low blood sugar in the future. Many people tend to want to eat as much as they can until they feel better. This can cause blood sugar levels to shoot way up. Using the step-wise approach of the " Rule" can help you avoid this, preventing high blood sugar levels.
Glucagon is a hormone produced in the pancreas that stimulates your liver to release stored glucose into your bloodstream when your blood sugar levels are too low. Glucagon is used to treat someone with diabetes when their blood sugar is too low to treat using the rule.
Glucagon is available by prescription and is either injected or administered or puffed into the nostril. For those who are familiar with injectable glucagon, there are now two injectable glucagon products on the market—one that comes in a kit and one that is pre-mixed and ready to use. Speak with your doctor about whether you should buy a glucagon product, and how and when to use it. The people you are in frequent contact with for example, friends, family members and coworkers should be instructed on how to give you glucagon to treat severe hypoglycemia.
If you have needed glucagon, let your doctor know so you can discuss ways to prevent severe hypoglycemia in the future. Find products for dealing with low blood glucose. If someone is unconscious and glucagon is not available or someone does not know how to use it, call immediately.
Do NOT:. Low blood sugar is common for people with type 1 diabetes and can occur in people with type 2 diabetes taking insulin or certain medications. If you add in lows without symptoms and the ones that happen overnight, the number would likely be higher. Too much insulin is a definite cause of low blood sugar. Insulin pumps may also reduce the risk for low blood sugar. Accidentally injecting the wrong insulin type, too much insulin, or injecting directly into the muscle instead of just under the skin , can cause low blood sugar.
What you eat can cause low blood sugar, including:. Exercise has many benefits. The tricky thing for people with type 1 diabetes is that it can lower blood sugar in both the short and long-term.
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