Hypoglycemia: What it is and how to manage it?

The body relies on glucose to produce energy, and if the supply of glucose becomes low, a hypoglycemic episode can occur. Hypoglycemia is caused by a lack of insulin in the bloodstream which leads to low blood sugar and ultimately to hypoglycemia.

Hypoglycemia or low blood glucose level in human body is usually caused by diet which contains high carbohydrate content, medication, excessive alcohol and lack of physical activity.

This article is the part of diabetes series. In this post, we are going to discuss what is hypoglycemia, causes and symptoms of hypoglycemia, and how to prevent it.

What is Hypoglycemia?

Hypoglycemia can be easily mistaken for a number of other conditions. Diabetes is the only disease in which hypoglycemia is a symptom. People who have diabetes are more likely to develop other health issues, like kidney disease. The two most common types of hypoglycemia are nocturnal and reactive. The first is caused by a lack of insulin, and the second is a reaction to glucose.

Nocturnal hypoglycemia happens during sleep, when a person is not eating, and insulin levels are low. If this happens, a person may feel shaky, dizzy, hungry, cold, tired, or thirsty. Reactive hypoglycemia is a condition that occurs when a person eats too much at one time. This can lead to an increase in the blood glucose level, which causes symptoms such as shakiness, dizziness, and hunger.

What Is Reactive Hypoglycemia?

Reactive hypoglycemia occurs when there is an imbalance between insulin production and release. This causes low blood sugar levels.

When you eat carbohydrates, your pancreas releases insulin into your bloodstream. Insulin helps move glucose out of your blood and into your cells.

Insulin is produced by beta cells in the pancreas. Beta cells produce insulin in response to rising blood sugar levels. If these levels drop too low, however, the beta cells cannot produce enough insulin to raise blood sugar back up.

This leads to low blood sugar levels. Low blood sugar levels cause symptoms such as sweating, shakiness, hunger, weakness, anxiety, irritability, confusion, headache, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness.

Symptoms usually occur within 15 minutes after eating carbohydrate foods. Symptoms may last anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours.

How to Manage Hypoglycemia

When it comes to the management of hypoglycemia, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. The best approach will depend on your situation. What’s important to consider here is the fact that most people who are diagnosed with diabetes are already experiencing symptoms of the condition. If you’re experiencing hypoglycemia, then you’re probably experiencing a number of other problems as well—for example, low blood sugar levels can impact cognitive functions like memory and focus, which could lead to difficulty making decisions.

There is no single treatment for hypoglycemia. It depends on many factors including your age, sex, lifestyle, diet, weight, and physical activity. However, what you need to do is to eat some carbohydrates before going to bed. This can help you to avoid the occurrence of hypoglycemia in the morning. Make sure that you don’t skip breakfast or lunch. These meals should be in sufficient amounts so that your body can get the energy to function properly. Another way to deal with hypoglycemia is to make sure that you keep your blood sugar levels in control by eating foods that are rich in carbohydrates. You can also use medications like glucagon to treat hypoglycemia.

Causes of Hypoglycemia

This is a really common problem, and hypoglycemia can occur even if you are eating healthy. Your body may have less glucose available to use as energy, your stress levels may be higher, or your illness could be making it hard for you to store enough glucose in your body.

Most people are aware of the fact that low glycemic foods are more effective at causing insulin spikes in the body than high glycemic foods. However, many people also don’t realize that high glycemic foods can cause hypoglycemia. When your body gets the wrong amount of insulin, it can actually lead to severe health problems. Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is one of those things that we’re not aware of until it happens to us.

Signs and Symptoms

Hypoglycemia symptoms include:

• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Weakness
• Nausea
• Sweating
• Tingling
• Shaking
• Palpitations
• Anxiety
• Difficulty speaking
• Blurred vision
• Seizures

Treatment

Hypoglycemia is often a side effect of the use of insulin or oral medication. If you are experiencing symptoms of low blood sugar, make sure to monitor your glucose levels and eat something containing carbohydrates such as fruit, rice, pasta, bread, crackers, etc. To treat hypoglycemia, consume one to two teaspoons of honey or one tablespoon of sugar.

The symptoms of hypoglycemia are similar to those of other common ailments and may be mistaken for them. This means that the hypoglycemic person could go without treatment and risk serious health consequences. If a person does become hypoglycemic, it is important to know how to treat the condition.

• A simple sugar solution, such as a little bit of fruit juice, will help to restore normal blood sugar levels.
• Eating raw Sugar can help.
• The glucose should be given orally as soon as possible.
• Take a snack containing carbohydrates.
• If you don’t have anything available, chew gum or suck on candy. If you do not have access to food, drink water.
• If these fail, the individual should seek medical attention immediately.

In conclusion, Hypoglycemia symptoms are generally recognized as a low blood sugar level. However, they can also be caused by other factors such as excessive stress, infections, or hormonal imbalances. The most common signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia include paleness, sweating, anxiety, shakiness, irritability, hunger, headache, nausea, fatigue, feeling lightheaded, dizziness, confusion, irritability, loss of appetite, and lack of concentration. Check this article for treating hypoglycemia with natural remedies.

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