The treatment of diabetes involves many areas. There is common standard of practice treatment as well as herbal and alternative treatments. And there is currently a multitude of research being conducted to find better medications and treatments as well as hopefully someday a cure for this chronic disease.

Diabetes mellitus is a disease in which the body is not able to metabolize the glucose in the blood. Type 1 diabetes is believed to happen because of the destruction of Beta islet cells in the pancreas where insulin is secreted. People with Type-1 diabetes need to be on insulin therapy for their their life. Type 2 diabetes is cause by the destruction of insulin receptors on cell surfaces which causes the cells to be resistant to insulin. Type 2 diabetes can be managed with medication and/or lifestyle changes.

Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are treated differently but still both involve many of the same aspects of self care. Self care is a responsibility which every diabetic patient must commit to in order to best manage this life long chronic disease.

Besides current treatment, there is research being done on herbal treatments as well as alternative substances. Herbs from Asia as well as the Amazon are currently being studied as well as the substance in hot peppers which makes them hot. Another substance that is being studied is a substance in cocoa. It is hoped that these substances can be made into new medications to treat the symptoms of diabetes. Also there is research being done in the area of stem cells as well as organ transplants in the hopes a cure can be found in these areas.

Because of the chronic nature of diabetes, it can become quite expensive to treat this long term disease for an unknown period of time. Studies have been conducted on the impact of poverty on treatment and the outcome of these treatments.

As well as diabetes mellitus treatment there is also information on diabetes insipidus which is caused by problems with the kidney instead of the pancreas. There are many forms of diabetes insipidus with a different treatment for each.

Most of this information and more can be found in this section on Diabetes Treatment.

Learn More about Diabetes Treatments