"Am I pregnant?" is probably the most common health question women ask. It can be confusing, as every pregnancy is different -- meaning, you may not have the same symptoms from one pregnancy to another. For example, during one pregnancy, you may experience incredible breast pain or nausea and vomiting, while during another pregnancy, you might not experience these symptoms at all. That said, there are some common signs and symptoms that may indicate pregnancy.
Pregnancy Signs and Symptoms
Swollen, tender, or sore breasts and/ or nipples - Often, this is the first physical sign of pregnancy. In fact, some women know when they are pregnant based on this sign alone. The reason breasts and/ or nipples are often sore, swollen, or tender during early pregnancy is because the breasts are undergoing changes to prepare for breastfeeding.
Breast tenderness and pain during early pregnancy is caused by the increased production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone that occurs during pregnancy. Breasts and/ or nipples are often particularly painful during your first pregnancy; however, some women experience this symptom during subsequent pregnancies as well. If you experience breast pain when you are not pregnant, it's often caused by benign fibrocystic breast disease.
Fatigue or unusual tiredness - Do you feel like you could close your eyes and sleep at any time of day? Early pregnancy is a time when a woman's body is working very hard to keep up with the changes that occur. This means increased hormone production, as well as the fact that the heart is pumping harder and faster due to the escalation of blood flow, which is necessary to bring nutrients to the growing fetus. Increased progesterone production is the primary reason for the extra fatigue most pregnant women experience early in their pregnancy. Progesterone, a natural central nervous system depressant known to cause sleepiness, is the reason this occurs.
Late period - The most common reason for missing your period is pregnancy, and this is often the first sign that makes women suspect pregnancy. Only a pregnancy test followed by a pelvic exam can tell you positively whether you are pregnant. Once your health care provider rules out pregnancy as the cause of your late or missed periods, the next step is usually to rule in or out several other possible explanations for absence of menstruation, or amenorrhea.
Light bleeding and/or cramping - The most common reason for light bleeding during early pregnancy is implantation. Implantation bleeding occurs when the fertilized egg implants itself in the uterine lining and usually occurs about 10 to 14 days after conception. Bleeding caused by implantation is very light; often, the only sign you might notice that indicates implantation has occurred is a small (can be as small as a pinhead) spot of blood on your underwear.
Cramping that is similar to menstrual cramps occurs very early during pregnancy and happens when the uterus begins to expand to make room for the embryo to develop into a fetus.
Morning sickness - Nausea during pregnancy can occur with or without vomiting. While morning sickness is most common between weeks four and eight of pregnancy, many women experience this symptom beginning about two weeks from their date of conception.
Morning sickness is a misnomer since it can, and often does, occur at anytime of the day or night. The most common reason for this symptom seems to be the rapid rise in estrogen, produced by the fetus and placenta. Another trigger for nausea is odors. During pregnancy, a woman's sense of smell increases considerably and can make almost anything from everyday household odors, foods, perfume, and smoke, to name a few, trigger a bout of morning sickness or nausea and vomiting.
The most common foods to trigger morning sickness are coffee, meat, dairy products, and spicy foods. However, it's essential to understand that anything can trigger nausea and/ or vomiting during pregnancy.
Running to the bathroom - During the first trimester of pregnancy, it's easy to believe you might have to move into your bathroom since it seems you are constantly running to make to the bathroom. The growing uterus causes frequent urination during pregnancy. The first and third trimesters of pregnancy are typically when the most intense frequent urination happens.
While the signs and symptoms of early pregnancy listed above are the most common, other symptoms can, and often do, occur in pregnancy. Other pregnancy symptoms include:
Headaches - Headaches that occur during pregnancy are often intense and caused by increased hormone levels.
Mood swings - Don't think you're crazy if you suddenly develop atypical mood swings or if you are unusually emotional during pregnancy. Many times, pregnant women burst into tears for reasons that are unclear to anyone, including the pregnant woman. This is another symptom caused by increased hormone levels.
Feeling weak, faint, or dizzy - This symptom can be caused by the circulatory system as dilation of the blood vessels occur. Low blood sugar early in pregnancy can also trigger these symptoms.
Increased basal body temperature or BBT - Your basal body temperature is your temperature immediately upon rising in the morning. BBT normally increases during ovulation and decreases when menstruation occurs. However, when pregnancy takes place, increased basal body temperature continues. BBT is a good indicator of pregnancy for women who have used it, either to prevent pregnancy or when trying to get pregnant.
Constipation - Food digests slower than usual during pregnancy due to increased progesterone production. Slower digestion sometimes causes constipation during pregnancy.
If I have one or more of these symptoms, does that mean I'm pregnant?
Not necessarily. Many of these symptoms are common to several different conditions, and could mean that you're sick or that menstruation is about to begin. Another point to remember is that while these symptoms are common during pregnancy, sometimes none of these symptoms occur.
If you experience the signs and symptoms of pregnancy, you may want to buy a home pregnancy test and see your doctor -- either to begin prenatal care and confirm your pregnancy, or to determine the cause of your symptoms if you're not pregnant.
Friday, February 14, 2014
Monday, August 6, 2007
The Symptoms of Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes Mellitus is an insidious disease that causes a whole slew of complications that can have life altering and threatening effects for anyone who suffers from it. From heart disease to kidney problems, blindness and nerve damage, recognizing the symptoms of diabetes mellitus early and getting proper medical treatment is key to managing it effects and the complications it can cause.
It is estimated that 17 million people suffer from diabetes in the United States alone. Further more nearly 5.9 million of those 17 million have not been diagnosed and are suffering the effects of not managing their condition. Many people remain undiagnosed because they do not recognize or understand their symptoms and never seek medical help until their symptoms have manifested into the later complications.
The treatment of diabetes is about managing the condition through proper diet, exercise, and medication. The sooner a positive diagnosis is made the better the chances of avoiding potential life threatening complications that this disease is known for. There is no known cure but millions of people with diabetes live normal lives through healthy lifestyle choices.
The symptoms of diabetes mellitus as listed by the American Diabetes Association include:
1. Increased Urination - Increased blood flow through the kidneys due to high blood sugar levels contributes to this.
2. Excessive Thirst - Caused by the increased urine output that brings about dehydration.
3. Hungry All the Time - Because glucose (sugar) is unable to leave the blood stream and enter the cells due to a lack of insulin or insulin resistance the cells do not get the fuel they need for energy. The body senses this energy deficit and thinks it needs more calories to fuel its metabolic processes.
4. Weight Loss - Even though the diabetic is eating more the body starts to break down its own protein and fat stores to feed the perceived lack of energy for the cells.
5. Fatigue - Decreased energy levels lead to constant feelings of fatigue and lethargy.
6. Irritability and Depression.
7. Eye Problems - High blood glucose levels cause an increase in blood volume which can cause the lens of the eye to swell.
These signs will usually start out as nothing more than minor annoyances, but with time they will increase in severity. Many people attribute them to other things and brush them aside. Many of the symptoms can be attributed to other things like the stress of everyday life which can cause fatigue, depression, and irritability.
Many people are often surprised when they are diagnosed with diabetes mellitus saying things like "I don't feel sick". Many people are visiting their doctor for other concerns when they are first diagnosed. But once they putt all their symptoms together along with the results of their blood glucose test that the doctor will order the diagnosis is easily seen.
Recognizing the symptoms of diabetes mellitus early in the disease's stages is the single most important factor when it comes to minimizing the long term complications that are associated with this disease.
It is estimated that 17 million people suffer from diabetes in the United States alone. Further more nearly 5.9 million of those 17 million have not been diagnosed and are suffering the effects of not managing their condition. Many people remain undiagnosed because they do not recognize or understand their symptoms and never seek medical help until their symptoms have manifested into the later complications.
The treatment of diabetes is about managing the condition through proper diet, exercise, and medication. The sooner a positive diagnosis is made the better the chances of avoiding potential life threatening complications that this disease is known for. There is no known cure but millions of people with diabetes live normal lives through healthy lifestyle choices.
The symptoms of diabetes mellitus as listed by the American Diabetes Association include:
1. Increased Urination - Increased blood flow through the kidneys due to high blood sugar levels contributes to this.
2. Excessive Thirst - Caused by the increased urine output that brings about dehydration.
3. Hungry All the Time - Because glucose (sugar) is unable to leave the blood stream and enter the cells due to a lack of insulin or insulin resistance the cells do not get the fuel they need for energy. The body senses this energy deficit and thinks it needs more calories to fuel its metabolic processes.
4. Weight Loss - Even though the diabetic is eating more the body starts to break down its own protein and fat stores to feed the perceived lack of energy for the cells.
5. Fatigue - Decreased energy levels lead to constant feelings of fatigue and lethargy.
6. Irritability and Depression.
7. Eye Problems - High blood glucose levels cause an increase in blood volume which can cause the lens of the eye to swell.
These signs will usually start out as nothing more than minor annoyances, but with time they will increase in severity. Many people attribute them to other things and brush them aside. Many of the symptoms can be attributed to other things like the stress of everyday life which can cause fatigue, depression, and irritability.
Many people are often surprised when they are diagnosed with diabetes mellitus saying things like "I don't feel sick". Many people are visiting their doctor for other concerns when they are first diagnosed. But once they putt all their symptoms together along with the results of their blood glucose test that the doctor will order the diagnosis is easily seen.
Recognizing the symptoms of diabetes mellitus early in the disease's stages is the single most important factor when it comes to minimizing the long term complications that are associated with this disease.
The Early Warning Signs of Diabetes
In the United States alone there is an estimated 17 million people that suffer from diabetes. Of those 17 million who suffer this disease nearly 5.9 million have not been medically diagnosed. The reason for this could well be that many of the early warning signs of diabetes are shrugged off by those who suffer them because the symptoms do not seem that severe.
Even when those who heed the early symptoms of diabetes do go to the doctor they often express disbelief that they are diagnosed as being diabetic. In the early stages of diabetes the symptoms can be more of a minor annoyance, leading those who are diagnosed saying things like "I don't feel sick". In fact many people are diagnosed with diabetes when they visit the doctor because they think they have something else wrong with them. Many of the early signs of diabetes are often attributed to some other ailment or condition.
The sooner the symptoms of diabetes are recognized and diagnosed the better the chances of a managing this condition and avoiding many of the serious and sometimes life threatening complications this disease can bring. Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death by disease in the United States today.
The American Diabetes Association has a list of the early warning signs of diabetes and they include:
1. Increased Urination - This is caused by high blood sugar levels which increase the amount of blood that flows through the kidneys.
2. Excessive Thirst - The increased output of urine can lead to dehydration.
3. Extreme Hunger - Because diabetes is characterized by a lack of insulin or insulin resistance glucose is unable to cross over from the blood stream into the cells where it is needed for energy production. The body thinks it's hungry because of the energy deficit and manifests hunger pangs.
4. Unexplained Weight Loss - The body will start to break down its own proteins (muscle) and fat to make up for the perceived lack of cellular energy. This despite the fact that the person is actually eating more.
5. Fatigue - Caused by the decreased energy levels.
6. Irritability and Depression.
7. Vision Impairment - An increase in blood volume caused by high blood glucose levels can lead to swelling of the eye's lens.
Taken by themselves, or even as a group it is easy to see why these diabetic symptoms could be seen as part of any number of other conditions that can cause them. Everyday stress can cause fatigue, irritability, and depression. Depression is known to cause weight loss. Many of these signs and symptoms start out small; barely noticeable and as time progresses many people don't actually see the changes because of the slow rate at which they occur.
These symptoms will get progressively worse as the affects of the diabetes creates a variety of complications that affects many of the bodily systems. It is important to note that these symptoms will not resolve themselves.
The sooner one can recognize the early warning signs of diabetes the sooner they can seek medical attention. Diagnosing diabetes early is key to successfully managing its long term affects. There is no known cure for diabetes but with lifestyle changes and proper medical treatment it can be controlled and its affects minimized.
Even when those who heed the early symptoms of diabetes do go to the doctor they often express disbelief that they are diagnosed as being diabetic. In the early stages of diabetes the symptoms can be more of a minor annoyance, leading those who are diagnosed saying things like "I don't feel sick". In fact many people are diagnosed with diabetes when they visit the doctor because they think they have something else wrong with them. Many of the early signs of diabetes are often attributed to some other ailment or condition.
The sooner the symptoms of diabetes are recognized and diagnosed the better the chances of a managing this condition and avoiding many of the serious and sometimes life threatening complications this disease can bring. Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death by disease in the United States today.
The American Diabetes Association has a list of the early warning signs of diabetes and they include:
1. Increased Urination - This is caused by high blood sugar levels which increase the amount of blood that flows through the kidneys.
2. Excessive Thirst - The increased output of urine can lead to dehydration.
3. Extreme Hunger - Because diabetes is characterized by a lack of insulin or insulin resistance glucose is unable to cross over from the blood stream into the cells where it is needed for energy production. The body thinks it's hungry because of the energy deficit and manifests hunger pangs.
4. Unexplained Weight Loss - The body will start to break down its own proteins (muscle) and fat to make up for the perceived lack of cellular energy. This despite the fact that the person is actually eating more.
5. Fatigue - Caused by the decreased energy levels.
6. Irritability and Depression.
7. Vision Impairment - An increase in blood volume caused by high blood glucose levels can lead to swelling of the eye's lens.
Taken by themselves, or even as a group it is easy to see why these diabetic symptoms could be seen as part of any number of other conditions that can cause them. Everyday stress can cause fatigue, irritability, and depression. Depression is known to cause weight loss. Many of these signs and symptoms start out small; barely noticeable and as time progresses many people don't actually see the changes because of the slow rate at which they occur.
These symptoms will get progressively worse as the affects of the diabetes creates a variety of complications that affects many of the bodily systems. It is important to note that these symptoms will not resolve themselves.
The sooner one can recognize the early warning signs of diabetes the sooner they can seek medical attention. Diagnosing diabetes early is key to successfully managing its long term affects. There is no known cure for diabetes but with lifestyle changes and proper medical treatment it can be controlled and its affects minimized.
A Diabetic Diet is Key to Managing Diabetes
A diabetic diet is a balanced healthy diet with appropriate mixture of carbohydrates, proteins and fats at each meal so as to both provide essential nutrients as well as create an even release of glucose into the blood from meal to meal on a daily basis. A diet for diabetes, however, needs to be adjusted to suit each diabetic's requirement as there are tend to be differences in everyone's level of physical activities, injections of insulin (if taking) and intake of oral diabetic drugs, and the action and timing of the medications taken.
The exchange lists, which are dietary guidelines from the American Diabetes Association, are the basis of a meal planning system designed by a committee of the American Diabetes Association and the American Dietetic Association. There are differing philosophies on what is the best diet but below is a guideline with some general principles. Patients with Type 1 diabetes should have a diet that has approximately 35 calories per kg of body weight per day (or 16 calories per pound of body weight per day). Patients with Type 2 diabetes generally are put on a 1500-1800 calorie diet per day to promote weight loss and then the maintenance of ideal body weight.
Most people with diabetes find that it is quite helpful to sit down with a dietician or nutritionist for a consult about what is the best diet for them and how many daily calories they need. It is quite important for diabetics to understand the principles of carbohydrate counting and how to help control blood sugar levels through proper diet.
To keep blood sugar levels under control, a diabetic diet strikes a balance among the carbohydrates, fats, and protein you take in.
Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates are the source of energy that starts with glucose, the sugar in your bloodstream, and includes substances containing many sugar molecules called complex carbohydrates, starches, cellulose, and gums. Carbohydrates comprise the highest source of blood sugar and are the primary fuel for your body and brain. Carbohydrates are any food that can be broken down into sugar and the more of these you eat the higher your blood sugar will rise.
Fat:
Fats should contain no more than the 30% of the daily basis calorie count. Fats are the most important concern for diabetics because the management of cholesterol is done according to the amount of fat taken into the body. The dietary key to managing cholesterol, then, lies in understanding fats and oils.
Reducing the consumption of saturated fats and trans-fatty acids is the number one step in managing weight and cholesterol. To manage these fats it is important to understand both saturated fats and trans fatty acids. Saturated fats are found in animal products and dairy products. Trans-fatty acids are created through a process called hydrogenation. These fats can be found in stick margarine and in fast foods, baked goods and white breads.
Protein:
Protein is another element that is important to take account of in the diabetic diet. Protein foods do not raise your blood sugar, so you can add more fish, eggs, meat, etc with your meals. Protein is limited to 15-20% of the total calorie requirement of the body. Whenever you eat a meal or snack, it should always include a small amount of protein that has its own natural fat. The protein food with its own natural fat tends to hold onto the food longer so that your blood sugar doesn't spike and then drop immediately.
A diabetic diet can be customized to suit each patient's preferences, and a nutritionist can help with this. This type of diet should also take into consideration the medical condition, lifestyle and eating habits of the diabetic patient.
The exchange lists, which are dietary guidelines from the American Diabetes Association, are the basis of a meal planning system designed by a committee of the American Diabetes Association and the American Dietetic Association. There are differing philosophies on what is the best diet but below is a guideline with some general principles. Patients with Type 1 diabetes should have a diet that has approximately 35 calories per kg of body weight per day (or 16 calories per pound of body weight per day). Patients with Type 2 diabetes generally are put on a 1500-1800 calorie diet per day to promote weight loss and then the maintenance of ideal body weight.
Most people with diabetes find that it is quite helpful to sit down with a dietician or nutritionist for a consult about what is the best diet for them and how many daily calories they need. It is quite important for diabetics to understand the principles of carbohydrate counting and how to help control blood sugar levels through proper diet.
To keep blood sugar levels under control, a diabetic diet strikes a balance among the carbohydrates, fats, and protein you take in.
Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates are the source of energy that starts with glucose, the sugar in your bloodstream, and includes substances containing many sugar molecules called complex carbohydrates, starches, cellulose, and gums. Carbohydrates comprise the highest source of blood sugar and are the primary fuel for your body and brain. Carbohydrates are any food that can be broken down into sugar and the more of these you eat the higher your blood sugar will rise.
Fat:
Fats should contain no more than the 30% of the daily basis calorie count. Fats are the most important concern for diabetics because the management of cholesterol is done according to the amount of fat taken into the body. The dietary key to managing cholesterol, then, lies in understanding fats and oils.
Reducing the consumption of saturated fats and trans-fatty acids is the number one step in managing weight and cholesterol. To manage these fats it is important to understand both saturated fats and trans fatty acids. Saturated fats are found in animal products and dairy products. Trans-fatty acids are created through a process called hydrogenation. These fats can be found in stick margarine and in fast foods, baked goods and white breads.
Protein:
Protein is another element that is important to take account of in the diabetic diet. Protein foods do not raise your blood sugar, so you can add more fish, eggs, meat, etc with your meals. Protein is limited to 15-20% of the total calorie requirement of the body. Whenever you eat a meal or snack, it should always include a small amount of protein that has its own natural fat. The protein food with its own natural fat tends to hold onto the food longer so that your blood sugar doesn't spike and then drop immediately.
A diabetic diet can be customized to suit each patient's preferences, and a nutritionist can help with this. This type of diet should also take into consideration the medical condition, lifestyle and eating habits of the diabetic patient.
What Exactly Is Diabetes?
Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that tends to be recognized through high levels of blood sugar and other physical manifestations, and it differs significantly from a typical illness or chronic disease. There are several types of diabetes known to the medical community, and all are caused by a variety of different things - in fact, current research in the medical community tends to discover new potential causes of diabetes each year.
Ultimately, diabetes is brought on by an individual's pancreas becoming unable to produce the necessary amount of insulin to prevent the development of hyperglycemia. Once a person has developed type 1 or type 2 diabetes, it is incurable - but it is treatable. If the diabetes is not controlled through medical treatment, it can lead to life-threatening complications, such as a higher risk of heart failure, blindness, severe nerve damage, and foot wounds that could lead to amputation.
Type 1 diabetes differs from type 2 in that it is more commonly found in men, and it may have a small genetic link. This type of diabetes tends to develop when the cells inside of one's pancreas are attacked by the immune system, disallowing the pancreas to produce the required amount of insulin and thereby causing an insulin deficiency. It is also possible to develop type 1 diabetes through after-complications of viral infections contracted during one's childhood or youth. These may take a toll on the immune system, causing it to malfunction later in one's life.
Type 2 diabetes has a much larger genetic link, generally resulting from a predisposition toward the disease and lifestyle choices that cause the disease to develop. Parents may pass this disease on to their children at birth, though it is possible to reduce the risk of ever developing type 2 diabetes: this involves wise choices when it comes to lifestyle habits and diet, such as reducing or eliminating the consumption of high-fat foods and excessive alcohol, keeping active, and being careful to avoid becoming overweight.
It is possible for type 2 diabetes to become onset with age, regardless of previous lifestyle choices, simply due to genetics. Risk for genetically onset diabetes tends to increase at around 45 years old, and after 65 the risk becomes even greater.
In addition, there are certain ethnic groups whose genetic predisposition toward developing type 2 diabetes is much higher. These groups include African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and Japanese Americans. Individuals belonging to these ethnic groups would do well to take extra care when it comes to diet and lifestyle, in order to ensure a long and happy life.
Ultimately, diabetes is brought on by an individual's pancreas becoming unable to produce the necessary amount of insulin to prevent the development of hyperglycemia. Once a person has developed type 1 or type 2 diabetes, it is incurable - but it is treatable. If the diabetes is not controlled through medical treatment, it can lead to life-threatening complications, such as a higher risk of heart failure, blindness, severe nerve damage, and foot wounds that could lead to amputation.
Type 1 diabetes differs from type 2 in that it is more commonly found in men, and it may have a small genetic link. This type of diabetes tends to develop when the cells inside of one's pancreas are attacked by the immune system, disallowing the pancreas to produce the required amount of insulin and thereby causing an insulin deficiency. It is also possible to develop type 1 diabetes through after-complications of viral infections contracted during one's childhood or youth. These may take a toll on the immune system, causing it to malfunction later in one's life.
Type 2 diabetes has a much larger genetic link, generally resulting from a predisposition toward the disease and lifestyle choices that cause the disease to develop. Parents may pass this disease on to their children at birth, though it is possible to reduce the risk of ever developing type 2 diabetes: this involves wise choices when it comes to lifestyle habits and diet, such as reducing or eliminating the consumption of high-fat foods and excessive alcohol, keeping active, and being careful to avoid becoming overweight.
It is possible for type 2 diabetes to become onset with age, regardless of previous lifestyle choices, simply due to genetics. Risk for genetically onset diabetes tends to increase at around 45 years old, and after 65 the risk becomes even greater.
In addition, there are certain ethnic groups whose genetic predisposition toward developing type 2 diabetes is much higher. These groups include African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and Japanese Americans. Individuals belonging to these ethnic groups would do well to take extra care when it comes to diet and lifestyle, in order to ensure a long and happy life.
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