Understanding the Different Treatments for Diabetes

Of the 34.2 million Americans living with diabetes, a shocking 7 million aren’t diagnosed and, worse, not getting the right treatment. It can be confusing to navigate the various diabetes treatments available to you, but neglecting to treat your diabetes can lead to frustrating symptoms and serious health consequences.

Our team of experts at Premier Primary Care doesn’t want you to be another statistic. We want to take the guesswork out of diabetes care and help you understand all the ways you can treat it. 

An overview of diabetes

You might not think much about the food you eat, but your body sure does. Most of the food you eat breaks down into sugar (glucose), released into your bloodstream. When your body is working correctly, it triggers your pancreas to release a chemical called insulin. Insulin turns the sugar in your blood into energy. 

Diabetes occurs when your body has trouble making or using insulin, leaving your blood saturated in sugar. If you have too much sugar in your blood, you can develop serious health problems like heart disease, vision problems, and issues with wound healing. 

Fortunately, there are many ways to manage and treat your diabetes and avoid complications.

Treating your diabetes

Diabetes is not a minor health issue that will go away on its own; you need the care and guidance only our experts provide to take control of your diabetes. 

Before we recommend a treatment plan for you, we conduct a series of tests to better understand what’s causing your diabetes. Here are some of the most common diabetes treatments we offer our patients. 

Diabetes education

We believe that your first line of defense is informing yourself. That’s why we offer the best educational support for diabetics. 

We cover issues like monitoring your blood sugar and identifying warning signs of abnormal blood sugar levels. We take the time to thoroughly answer all your questions, so you always leave our office feeling ready to manage your diabetes. 

Lifestyle changes

Now more than ever, your lifestyle choices are critical to your health. Some of our patients are even fortunate enough to effectively treat their diabetes just by making a few adjustments to their routine. We guide you through proper nutrition and exercises programs that work for your lifestyle. 

For example, we help you make smarter, healthier diet choices by adding whole fruits and vegetables. Added nutritional support can help you get a handle on your blood sugar while boosting your overall health as well. 

We might also guide you through meal-timing strategies, vitamin and mineral supplements, and workout programs if they’re right for you. 

Medication management

Depending on your needs, we also provide diabetes medication. We make our prescription recommendation based on your initial exam, so you can be sure that you’re only taking the medication you need. 

Insulin injections

This is one of the most common treatments for diabetes, especially if you have Type 1 diabetes and can’t make enough of your insulin. These injections work differently and release insulin into your system at varying rates. 

You might need rapid-acting insulin that takes effect within a few minutes and lasts 2-4 hours, or you might need ultra-long-acting insulin that takes more time to take effect and lasts for up to 42 hours. 

We help you decide which type of insulin injection is right for you and make sure you’re comfortable administering the injection on your own. 

Don’t let diabetes treatments overwhelm you and keep you from getting the care you need. Contact our Union City, Tennessee, office, or request an appointment online with one of our diabetes specialists today.