Heartburn or GERD can Kill

Heartburn is a common annoyance. The busy lifestyle, quick meals, fatty or spicy foods all contribute to the occasional need of a chewable pain reliever. The acceptance of heartburn as an inconvenient, but natural, part of the daily grind can blind you to the warning that a severe heartburn symptom can bring.

Heartburn as a Disorder

Heartburn can be a symptom as well as a disorder. Simple heartburn or GERD can be controlled and dealt with. However, heartburn can signal the presence of a much more serious problem. If it’s heartburn, you will have a burning sensation in the chest usually after eating. There may be a spread of the burning to the throat, sometimes accompanied by a bad taste, difficulty in swallowing, belching, coughing, hoarseness and/or wheezing.

It can become worse by lying down or bending over or by eating. Relief can come from an antacid. While the more severe heartburn symptoms may be mistaken for a heart attack, simple heartburn is usually not made worse by exercise. If there is any concern that the pain may signal a heart attack, get help quickly.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

A Step Ahead of Your Type 2 Diabetes Symptom

By Andy Rowde

Not having type 2 diabetes symptom doesn't necessarily mean not having type 2 diabetes. This may not always be true though and understanding the true nature of a type 2 diabetes symptom may help save your life.

The Figures

If you do have the condition however, it means that the cells in your body are not reacting properly to the work of insulin which is supposed to open up the cells to glucose. Without glucose in your cells you will have no clear source of energy.

Diabetes Type 2 is more common than type 1 diabetes. It is estimated that at least 90% of diabetics belong to the type 2 category. The sad fact though is that more than 6% of diabetics are not aware that they have the condition. The lack of awareness may be due to a dismissal of seemingly harmless type 2 diabetes symptoms or a total lack of warning signs.

Different Symptoms

Although type 2 diabetes is more common than type 1, the former is much easier to deal with since it does not involve the pancreas and insulin production. Despite the difference in cause however, both types of diabetes share the same symptoms. A diabetic might begin to feel frequently tired, thirsty and may have occasionally blurry vision and wounds that do not heal quickly.

The main difference between the two types is in the onset of the symptoms . A type 1 diabetes symptom can develop rapidly and worsen in the span of a few weeks. Even with the rapid symptom development however, cell damage may already have been occurring for some time before type 1 diabetes is finally discovered. A type 2 diabetes symptom on the other hand is not as obvious and as bad as a type 1 symptom.

Effects of No Symptoms

Non-detection of type 2 diabetes may be dangerous and risky. The key to effectively managing this chronic disease is early detection. Once you fail to detect a type 2 diabetes symptom however, you can suffer from complications that are even more difficult to reverse. Some diabetics only realize that they have type 2 diabetes because of complications like retinopathy, heart ailments, kidney problems and nerve deaths. A complication is therefore their only type 2 diabetes symptom.

Uncommon Risk Factors

Being overweight and a family history of diabetes are known signs that should alert even those individuals who do not experience a single type 2 diabetes symptom. You should however also consider yourself at high risk of developing diabetes if you are over 45 years old, had a baby over 9 pounds and had a history of gestational diabetes or pre diabetes. For undetermined reasons, individuals who are Asian, African, Hispanic and American are at greater risk of developing diabetes.

What Has to be Done

Naturally, you would need to consult experts in diabetes to help you manage your condition or your type 2 diabetes symptom. There are however basic things you should remember on your own. You should monitor your glucose levels, take your medication as prescribed, follow your diet and exercise plans and watch and manage your weight.

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