People with diabetes and their families are encouraged to learn as much as possible about the latest medical therapies and approaches, as well as healthy lifestyle choices. Good communication with a team of experts can help you feel in control and respond to changing needs. One of the main aspects of creating a treatment plan for diabetes is recognizing whether the patient has type 1 or type 2 diabetes. From there a treatment plan can be formulated for that specific type. Treatment for diabetes requires keeping close watch over your blood sugar levels (and keeping them at a goal set by your doctor) with a combination of medications, exercise, and diet.
If the patient has type 2 diabetes, sometimes eating healthy and engaging in physical activity is not enough. The patient’s doctor may give he or she oral medication to help control their blood glucose levels. For people with type 1 diabetes (and some people with type 2 diabetes), this means taking insulin. Patients with type 1 diabetes must take insulin to control diabetes and this can only be done through multiple injections or by an insulin pump, a small device that delivers insulin continuously throughout the day.