Low Blood Sugar : Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Hypoglycemia, also known as low blood sugar, is a drop in blood sugar to a level below normal. Glucose is the sugar that is low in this case, and when it drops below 70 milligrams per decilitre of blood, a person is concerned with hypoglycemia. People may use the term blood sugar very rarely casually to express hunger, or feelings of fainting or burning when skipping a meal.

Some people will feel a little nauseous if they don’t eat regularly and may attribute this to low blood sugar. But sometimes people who don’t have diabetes can also get low blood glucose. There are two kinds of nondiabetic hypoglycemia.

Types of hypoglycemia

• Reactive hypoglycemia occurs a few hours after eating a meal.
• Fasting hypoglycemia could have something to do with medicine or a sickness.

Low Blood Symptoms:

If you have diabetes or some other health condition it can cause low blood sugar. Symptoms of low blood sugar are sweating, blurred vision, and confusion. It is possible that you may not always have the same symptoms.

1. . Such as Sweating
2. Nervousness, shakiness, and weakness.
3. Extreme hunger and slight nausea.
4. Dizziness and headache.
5. Blurred vision.
6. A fast heartbeat and feeling anxious.

Symptoms of moderate low blood sugar

1. Inability to concentrate.
2. Confusion and irritability.
3. Slurred speech.
4. Unsteadiness when standing or walking.
5. Muscle twitching.
6. Personality changes, such as anger or crying.

Symptoms of severe low blood sugar:

1. Seizure
2. Loss of consciousness
3. Stroke
4. Death

High blood pressure and low blood sugar symptoms

Normal blood pressure is between 90/60 and 140/90. If your reading is 140/90 or higher, you have high blood pressure (hypertension), which puts you at a higher risk of developing serious health conditions, such as heart attack or stroke. Individuals with a blood pressure reading of about 90/60 or less are generally considered to have low blood pressure.

Symptoms of high blood pressure

Most diabetics with high blood pressure have no symptoms.

However, very high blood pressure or rapidly rising blood pressure can cause:

• Headaches
• Vision problems
• Nose bleeds
• Trouble breathing
• Fits
• Black-outs

Symptoms of low blood pressure

Similar to high blood pressure, the symptoms of low pressure may not always be apparent. If you do get symptoms, they may be identified as any of the following:

• Feeling dizzy, light-headed or fainting
• Blurred vision
• A rapid or irregular heartbeat
• Feeling nauseous
• Confusion

Causes of low sugar level

When your blood sugar (glucose) level drops too low, hypoglycemia ensues. This can happen for a variety of causes, the most prevalent of which is a side effect of diabetes medications.

Blood sugar regulation

When you ingest carbohydrates from foods like bread, rice, pasta, vegetables, also fruit, and milk products, your body breaks them down into numerous sugar molecules, including glucose.

Insulin, a hormone generated by your pancreas, helps glucose, your body’s major energy source, enter the cells of most of your Issues. Insulin allows glucose to enter cells and give the energy that your cells require. Glycogen is a type of glucose that is stored in your liver and muscles.

If you haven’t eaten in several hours and your blood sugar lowers, your pancreas sends a signal to your liver, telling it to break down stored glycogen and release glucose into your bloodstream. Until you eat again, this keeps your blood sugar in a reasonable range.

Possible causes, of diabetes

If you have diabetes, you may not produce enough insulin (type 1 diabetes) or be less receptive to it (type 2 diabetes) (type 2 diabetes). As a result, glucose in the bloodstream tends to build up and can reach dangerously high levels. To address this issue, you may need to use insulin or other medications to lower your blood sugar levels.

However, too much insulin or other diabetic drugs can induce hypoglycemia, which is when your blood sugar level drops too low. Hypoglycemia might also happen if you eat less than usual after taking diabetes medication or exercise more than usual.

Without diabetes, possible causes

Hypoglycemia is substantially less common in those who do not have diabetes. The following are examples of possible causes:

Medications-Taking someone else’s oral diabetes medication accidentally is a possible cause of hypoglycemia. Other medications can cause hypoglycemia, especially in children or in people with kidney failure.

Excessive alcohol consumption. Hypoglycemia is caused by excessive drinking without eating, also which prevents your liver from releasing stored glucose into your bloodstream.

Some critical illnesses- Hypoglycemia can be caused by serious liver diseases such as cirrhosis or severe hepatitis. Kidney issues, which prevent your body from effectively excreting drugs, might cause a buildup of such medications, which can alter your glucose levels.

Long-term starvation, such as that seen in the eating disorder anorexia nervosa, might cause your body to produce too few of the components it needs to make glucose.

Insulin production is excessive, a rare pancreatic tumor that can cause you to produce too much insulin, leading to hypoglycemia. Other tumors can cause an excess of insulin-like molecules to be produced. Excessive insulin release can be caused by the enlargement of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, resulting in hypoglycemia.

Hormone deficiencies and shortage of essential hormones that regulate glucose synthesis can be caused by certain adrenal gland and pituitary tumor illnesses. If a child’s growth hormone levels are low, hypoglycemia might develop.

Hypoglycemia after meals

Hypoglycemia is most common when you haven’t eaten, although it can happen at any time. It’s symptoms might arise after eating high-sugar foods because your body creates more insulin than you require.

Reactive hypoglycemia, also known as postprandial hypoglycemia, is a kind of hypoglycemia that can occur in persons who have had gastric bypass surgery. It can also happen to persons who have never undergone this procedure.

Complications

Untreated hypoglycemia can lead to:

• Seizure
• Loss of consciousness
• Death

Hypoglycemia can also contribute to the following:

• Such as Dizziness and weakness
• Falls
• Injuries
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Greater risk of dementia in older adults

Unawareness of hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia unawareness can develop over time as a result of recurrent episodes of hypoglycemia. Shakiness or irregular heartbeats are no longer produced by the body or brain as warning indications of low blood sugar. The danger of severe, life-threatening hypoglycemia rises when this happens.

If you have diabetes and experience recurrent episodes of hypoglycemia or hypoglycemia unawareness, your doctor may adjust your therapy, increase your blood sugar level objectives, and suggest blood glucose awareness training.

Undertreated diabetes

Low blood sugar episodes can be uncomfortable and worrisome if you have diabetes. Fear of hypoglycemia may induce you to take less insulin to avoid a dangerously low blood sugar level. This can lead to diabetes that is out of control. Discuss your fears with your doctor, and don’t adjust your diabetic medication dose without his or her permission.

How Insulin Treatment Helps Your Blood Sugar

Insulin aids in the transport of glucose from the bloodstream to the cells. Some of the sugar is used by your cells for energy, and the rest is stored in your fat, muscles, and liver for later use. Your blood glucose level should return to normal once the sugar has moved into your cells.

A sudden drop in blood sugar

When your blood sugar (glucose) level drops too low, hypoglycemia ensues. This can happen for a variety of causes, the most prevalent of which is a side effect of diabetes medications.

Persistent hypoglycemia

Newborn with Persistent Hypoglycemia. Definition: Inability to consistently maintain. Pre-prandial glucose concentration: > 50 mg/dL up to 48 hrs of life OR. > 60 mg/dL after 48 hours of life.

Drugs used to manage diabetes are the most common cause of hypoglycemia. Other medicines, acute sickness or organ failure, a reaction to carbohydrates (in susceptible persons), an insulin-producing tumor in the pancreas, and various types of bariatric (weight loss) surgery are all less common causes of hypoglycemia.

Low blood sugar attack

If you use diabetes drugs that raise insulin levels in your body, you may experience low blood sugar. Hypoglycemia can cause a variety of dangerous symptoms if not treated promptly. This can involve mental confusion, seizures, brain injury, coma, and, in extreme situations, death.

Treatment:

1. If you think your sugar level may be low Check your blood sugar, such as below 70 mg/dL.

2. From a quick-sugar source, eat about 15 grams of carbohydrate. If you are at home, you will probably already have something close at hand that contains sugar, such as fruit juice or table sugar. Carry some glucose tablets or hard candy with you when you are away from home. Then solid foods and liquids will raise your blood sugar faster.

3. Check your sugar level again about 15 minutes after eating the 15 grams of carbohydrate. Eat another 15 grams of carbohydrate from quick-sugar food, If your sugar is still below 70 mg/dL, Repeat 15 grams of fast-acting carbohydrate every 15 minutes until your sugar is in a safe target range, such as higher or 70 mg/dL.  Eat a small snack when your sugar returns to your target range if your next planned meal or snack is more than a few hours away

If you do not have diabetes

You should see a doctor if you experience symptoms of hyperglycemia because you may have undiagnosed diabetes. Your doctor will test your blood glucose level and discuss the results with you. If you have diabetes, you will be given advice on how to manage this condition.

• Eat small meals and snacks every few hours.
• Include a broad variety of foods, including protein, fatty, and high-fiber foods
• Don’t eat a lot of high-sugar foods.

Work with your doctor to figure out anything else that may be causing your symptoms

Prevention

• If you have diabetes, planning your medication and eating regularly can help prevent hypoglycemia. Monitoring your blood sugar levels is also important. Monitoring your blood glucose levels regularly can help keep your blood glucose normal and stable, and prevent you from developing hypoglycemia. It Will help to cure the signs and symptoms quickly.
• Your blood glucose level can vary throughout the day, so you may need to check it several times a day, depending on the treatment you’re taking. You can use a blood glucose meter, a small device Monitor your blood glucose level by using a device that measures the concentration of glucose in your blood.
• Food and Alcohol If you have diabetes, excessive physical activity can lead to hypoglycemia. Eating foods containing extra carbohydrates before and during exercise can help reduce the chance of this happening. If you are taking insulin, your doctor may recommend that you lower your dose before doing vigorous physical activity. Alcohol can also affect your body’s ability to release glucose.
• Do not drink too much alcohol and have a snack after drinking alcohol. Recognizing the symptoms Hypoglycemia can develop suddenly,
• It is important to be aware of the symptoms of hypoglycemia so that you can treat it quickly.

When should you seek medical help?

You should seek medical attention immediately if you start experiencing any of these symptoms-

• Nausea or vomiting (feeling sick or being sick)
• stomach ache
• Your breath has a fruity odor, which may resemble pear droppings or smell like nail varnish.
• drowsiness or confusion
• hyperventilation
• Dehydration (when your body’s normal water content is reduced, which can cause headaches, dry skin, and a weak, rapid heartbeat)
• fainting
• If you have these symptoms, you may have diabetic ketoacidosis, and you will need hospital treatment.

If you’re on a meal plan or on insulin-increasing drugs to manage low blood sugar, it’s critical to keep to the plan your doctor suggested to avoid blood sugar decreases.

Blood sugar levels can decline if you don’t eat the proper foods or take the right medications at the right times. Check in with your doctor on a regular basis so that they can make any required adjustments to your treatment plan.