Blood Sugar Levels

What is High Blood Sugar Level?

High Blood Sugar Level, also known as Hyperglycemia, is a condition in which the glucose level rises temporarily in the blood. This condition occurs when a person’s body is unable to utilize the glucose properly. Glucose comes from the food that we take in. Our bodies also use other chemicals to create glucose in our muscles and liver. Our blood carries this glucose (blood sugar) to the cells of our body. Cells need help from insulin to carry glucose into the cells as an energy supply. Insulin is a hormone that is created by the pancreas and its function is to turn the glucose (blood sugar) into a form that our body’s cells can use.  High Blood Sugar Levels occur when our body can no longer produce the required level of insulin.

How It Affects the Body

High blood sugar levels can become very dangerous if left untreated. When the blood sugar level remains high for too many hours, some serious complications like dehydration can develop. If proper treatment is not provided, in time, it can also damage multiple tissues of kidneys, brain, and arteries. The state in which High Blood Sugar Levels are associated with the ketones in the urine requires immediate medical attention. When the blood sugar level stays high for several days or weeks, it indicates the presence of diabetes.

Symptoms of High Blood Sugar Levels

The symptoms of diabetes or high blood sugar level include:

1. Excessive Urination

When our body has a high blood sugar level, we feel the need for excessive urination. As the cells become unable to manage the glucose, they start pumping water into bloodstream. The kidneys are unable to absorb this much fluid during filtering, causing the need for urination.

2. Excessive Hunger

Excessive hunger occurs with Type 2 Diabetes when the body is unable to produce enough insulin or metabolize it. When the cells do not gain access to glucose, they start sending hunger signals.

3. Excessive Thirst

High Blood Sugar Levels leads to dehydration. The brain triggers thirst signals throughout the body. People with diabetes feel thirsty frequently.

4. Weight Loss

High blood sugar level leads to some weight change. There are several reasons for this.

• Excessive urination causes a low level of body fluids, thus making you weigh less.
• High blood sugar level turns urine rich in glucose. When a diabetic urinates, he/she literally flush out the glucose-rich fluid from the body which causes weight loss.

5. Infections

The body gets exposed to a microscopic world that loves glucose thus causing several infections.

6. Itchy and Dry Skin

When the body gets dehydrated due to diabetes, skin tissues begin drying out. Poor blood circulation causes itchy skin. High blood sugar levels cause nerve damage that interfere with the normal operations of the sweat glands, creating a dry skin.

7. Blurred Vision

The dehydrating effect of excessive urination causes the cells of the whole body even the cells of eyes to lose the fluid which results in a blurred vision. Left untreated, this can lead to blindness.

8. Fatigue

When blood sugar level is high, the body is not burning glucose properly. The cells are not getting the energy they need. The overall effect results in lowering of physical energy which causes fatigue.

9. Headache

Due to high blood sugar level, the brain cells do not get the required energy which causes a headache. This is one of the obvious diabetes symptoms.

10. Irritability

The high blood sugar level causes frequent mood swings. A sufferer easily gets irritated.

How to Reduce High Blood Sugar Levels

A major way to control high blood sugar levels is to develop a healthy life style. Here are some ways that can help you control blood sugar levels.

• Develop healthy eating habits
• Drink a lot of water
• Develop a routine of regular exercise
• Follow required medication instructions (if applicable)
• Increase foods high in healthy carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains

How High Blood Sugar Level is Threating for Your Life

High blood sugar levels increase the risk of heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, and other major health problems. In addition, 25% patients with Type 1 Diabetes and 80% patient of Type 2 Diabetes suffer from high blood pressure. Diabetes and high blood pressure when combined lead to a crucial health conditions that becomes difficult to treat.