Diabetes is a chronic, non-communicable, and progressive disease with a very high prevalence globally. The condition affects how the body can produce or utilize insulin. Treatment of diabetes involves stratifying care through prior testing of diabetes indicators.
Primary care is needed to correct metabolic imbalances and prevent disease severity. Literature and research studies clearly show that early detection of diabetes improves diabetes management and aids in the reduction of the related complications.
Testing of diabetic indicators involves confirmatory diagnosis from the following blood tests.
- Hemoglobin A1C test (Normal results: 4% to 6% for nondiabetics and 7%/ 6.5% or lower for people with diabetes: A1C test results higher than 8% shows that the blood sugar levels are not under control)
- Random Blood Sugar (Normal results: 70-125 mg/dL or less than 7.0 mmol/L)
- Glucose Tolerance (Normal results depends on the grams of glucose available in a solution)
- Fasting blood sugar (Normal results: 70-99 mg/dl) or less than 5.5 mmol/L)
The diabetic test detects abnormally high levels of blood glucose due to impaired insulin functions. Insulin is a regulatory hormone that enables the body to use blood glucose for energy. In diabetes, glucose is detected in urine because the body is not using them.
Early stages of diabetes might not come with any serious symptoms like tingling, numbness at the feet or hands, and blurred vision. However, you should consider being tested if you have the following diabetes indicators:
- Feeling extremely thirsty regularly.
- Feeling tired always
- Hungry even after a meal
- Blurry vision
- Sores and wounds that take very long to heal
- Frequent urination
Four Diabetic indicator Tests that you should take
Here are four basic diabetic tests.
Antibody Testing
Even though some tests confirm whether you’ve diabetes or not, they don’t specify the type. Healthcare professionals have categorized diabetes into type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and sometimes gestational diabetes. Monogenic diabetes can be mistaken to fall into the type 1 category.
Antibody testing is done to rule out the presence of type 1 diabetes. The presence of one or more diabetes-specific antibodies in your blood shows that you’ve type 1 diabetes. Knowing the type of diabetes you’ve, or the one you’re more likely to get during prediabetic stages is important to plan its treatment and management.
Hemoglobin A1C Test
A1C test is done to determine the average glucose levels in your body for the past three months. It is also known as the glycosylated hemoglobin test. You are allowed to eat or drink before this test. Your physician will have to consider your age, anemia, and any other problem within your blood before the procedure.
Sometimes the A1C tests are not accurate in individuals with anemia. A blood sample from your hand is taken using a finger-stick or a vial. Your A1C results will be given in percentage; therefore, the higher the percentage outcomes, the higher the blood glucose levels. People who already have diabetes use the A1C tests to manage their diabetic status and lead the best life out of the condition.
Foot Examination
Diabetes is known to slow blood circulation around the legs and feet. Diabetic neuropathy will also cause loss of feelings. That’s why health experts recommend an annual foot examination to check your prediabetic state.
The procedure involves the inspection of redness, open wounds or sores, and cracks. Your doctor will check on the weird problems, such as overlapping the toes, and at times a monofilament test is done. You will be requested to close both eyes then the physician presses a piece of nylon over different parts of the foot.
If you fail to express any feeling, it means that you probably have nerve damage. Achilles tendon is also tapped to establish if the ankle-back-nerves are in proper condition. If they are, the foot will automatically point downwards.
Eye Examination
Increased blood pressure predisposes one to diabetes. The high blood pressure associated with increased blood glucose causes tinny blood vessels in the eyes. Worse outcomes are prevented by early detection of the problem by a doctor.
The test is done to confirm this is called a dilated eye examination. It involves using eye drops to enlarge the pupils for a short time, and the physician will check the signs of leaking blood vessels. The test is painless, you won’t be able to see for some hours, but the problem will resolve afterward.
The Bottom Line
Generally, if you’ve diabetes, doing self-testing is an important tool to monitor and manage your health status and prevent diabetes from worsening. To accurately diagnose diabetes sooner, even before it shows its signs and symptoms, you need to consult a competent health professional. It’s not a one-time event; testing of diabetic indicators should be done more regularly. We’re here to assist you to do accurate diabetic indicator testing. Call us today at 205-352-9141.