A condition that is categorized by a person's blood sugar climbing temporarily to a high level is known as hyperglycemia. Glucose is created from foods and other chemicals in the muscles and liver and is carried to by the blood to all the cells of the body. In order to carry glucose to the cells as a source of energy, insulin is needed to help the cells. Insulin is made by the pancreas and is also a hormone. Based on the blood sugar level, the pancreas will release insulin into the blood.
When a person has High Blood Sugar for several hours, they may experience dehydration or develop more serious health issues. Diabetes is a High Blood Sugar Symptom. There are some individuals that may not even experience symptoms of hyperglycemia. Some common High Blood Sugar Signs include:
- Dry and itchy skin
- Drowsiness or fatigue
- Unexplained weight loss
- Thirst
- Constant urination
- Dry mouth
- Increased appetite
- Blurred vision
- Urination at night
Other symptoms of high blood sugar include dizziness when standing, difficulty breathing, increased confusion and drowsiness, rapid weight loss, and coma or unconsciousness.
High Blood Sugar Causes
High Blood Sugar is a condition known as persistent diabetes mellitus. A person that has diabetes will have hyperglycemia due to a variety of causes such as
- Insulin control - when the body does not produce enough insulin action this can produce high sugar levels in the body. High Blood sugar must be controlled by the diabetic by taking medicine, dietary discretion and physical activity.
- Carbohydrates - If an individual with diabetes eats too much carbohydrates, the body cannot process the levels fast enough to convert it into energy. A person with diabetes blood sugar level can rise very high within hours of eating.
- Not enough exercise - A critical contributor for regulating blood sugar levels is daily exercise.
- Surgery, illness, infection - An illness can cause blood sugar to rise rapidly over a few hours span.
- Medications - Blood sugar levels can rise significantly due to certain kinds of drugs, particularly steroids.
- Stress - A person's emotions play a significant role in causing High Blood Sugar
If a person has persistent hyperglycemia for 2-3 days or if they experience High Blood Sugar Signs such as ketones in their urine, they should call their doctor. When a person's blood sugar remains high despite following a plan of care or a diabetic diet, the person should call a health educator, a nurse, or doctor to make adjustments to their diet.
High Blood Sugar Treatment
A person can check their own blood sugar level by self checking at home. Blood sugar levels can be checked with a blood glucose meter and if High Blood Sugar is present but there are no High Blood Sugar Symptoms, the person can continue with their normal care routines such as:
- Staying on schedule with the medication doses
- Eating regular healthy balanced meals
- Controlling the diet such as consuming caffeine free and sugar free beverages
- Continuing to take their blood sugar readings every 4 hours until the levels drop back normal.
- Checking the urine for ketones (patients with diabetes) and following sick day rules as specified in their care plan until the ketones have gone from the urine.
- And finally, one of the simplest and easiest ways a person can lower their blood sugar is by engaging in exercise. However, when there is reading higher than 240 mg/dL, the person should check their urine for ketones. If they do have ketones they should not exercise because this could risk blood sugar levels that are even high.
Another High Blood Sugar Treatment is the use of medication when exercise and diet is not keeping blood sugar at a normal range. Your doctor will be the best person to determine what plan and medicaition, if any, is needed.
