Diabetes is a disease that affects millions of people all over the world and is a condition that can lead to other more serious health problems, including kidney failure and even death, if it is not treated and managed properly. When a person has diabetes, their body is either unable to produce enough insulin, or can not use the insulin it does create properly. Often, medications are required to manage diabetes and there are a number of medical supplies that diabetics use to make sure that their blood sugar levels remain where they should be.
There are three main types of diabetes: Type 1 or juvenile diabetes, Type 2 or adult onset diabetes, and gestational diabetes. Of the three, Type 1 is the most dangerous and the one that needs to have the most treatment, including regular insulin injections. Gestational diabetes is a condition that usually occurs around the middle or last third of a pregnancy and goes away once the baby is born. Mothers with gestational diabetes usually do not pass the condition on to their babies.
Medical Supplies
When a person is diagnosed as being diabetic, they are going to need to have certain medical supplies on hand at all times, in order to monitor their blood sugar levels and make sure that they are getting enough insulin. A blood tester, usually referred to as a home testing kit, is needed and these are often used several times a day, as the blood sugar levels change with the foods that are eaten and even after certain activities. These home testing kits used to be large and cumbersome and the tests were painful (pricking the finger to draw blood for a sample). Today, the machines are very small and diabetics can test on other, less painful areas of the body, such as the arms or the legs. Some diabetics will also be required to give themselves regular insulin injections and their medical supplies will include syringes for this purpose.
The Insulin Pump
For decades, the only way many diabetics could get the insulin they needed was to give themselves injections, sometimes several times a day. Now, there are medical supplies that eliminate the need for injections and provide diabetics with a much more normal lifestyle, because they will not have to worry about taking time out of their activities to give themselves a needle. The insulin pump is one of the latest types of medical supplies for diabetics and it is normalizing a lot of lives. This has been a great thing for kids who have diabetes, because with the pump, they are able to lead much more active and normal, lives.
An insulin pump is a wonderful tool for helping to manage and treat diabetes. It provides the body with insulin as it needs it, eliminating the need for insulin injections. And, by using an insulin pump, diabetics are able to keep their blood sugar levels regulated and in many cases, patients may end up requiring less insulin over time. Insulin pumps are popular with diabetics of all ages and are used by many people who have Type 1 diabetes and even some people with Type 2 diabetes.
The insulin pump is a device that delivers insulin at different times throughout the day, whenever the body needs it. Since it is something that works continuously, the pump must also be worn during sleep and it keeps the blood sugar levels regulated at all times. Because it is small, it is not a hindrance to wear in bed and, after a while, wearers will not even know it is there. You can do just about anything when you wear an insulin pump, even go swimming, as long as you are not diving in deep waters. It is not a good idea to use the pump in hot water, so if you are bathing or using a hot tub, you should remove it for that time period.
You can even wear the pump when you are taking part in sports, even contact sports. The pump can be disconnected but it can be easily worn under clothes and padding, so you can take part in just about any sport you can think of, something that you may not have been able to do previously, when you had to take injections throughout the day. Insulin pumps are great medical supplies for kids who were never able to be really active before.
Insulin pumps are medical supplies that are not inexpensive but there are many health plans that will cover some, if not all of the costs. If you or someone you love has diabetes and needs to take insulin, you really need to learn more about this terrific little device. If will make your life a whole lot easier and you will be able to easily manage your diabetes without having to stop to test your blood and give yourself a shot.
A Healthy Diet Is Essential for Diabetics
Although it is not something that would be included in your list of medical supplies for diabetics, it is important to remember that a healthy diet is a useful tool in the treatment and management of diabetes. When a person is diagnosed with diabetes, it is going to mean a number of lifestyle changes will have to be made, including dietary changes. It will be more important than ever to make sure that they are getting the proper nutrition and knowing which foods they can and cannot eat. Often, at least in the beginning, diabetics must follow severely restricted diets. This can sometimes lead to a lack of certain nutrients, such as protein, which is necessary for our health, not to mention the fact that it is a natural source of energy.