If you’re living with diabetes, your body is unable to create or use an essential hormone called insulin. Insulin is created by the pancreas, and its job is to enable sugar and glucose to enter your cells, offering your body the energy it needs to move throughout the day. When your body cannot process glucose correctly, it builds up in the blood, causing a phenomenon known as “high blood sugar” that can ultimately damage the blood vessels, nerves, heart, eyes, and kidneys.
Although diabetes can lead to serious consequences, it is often successfully managed through diet, lifestyle modifications or medication. As a board-certified physician, Dr. Gerard Miller’s concierge medical practice is focused on providing preventative care, helping patients catch early signs of diabetes and manage their condition to avoid severe complications.
Dr. Miller operates the only concierge practice in Havertown and being affiliated with Bryn Mawr Hospital, Dr. Miller works with the staff of hospital doctors if you are admitted to the hospital. He is available to his patients 24/7, and his one-on-one approach allows him to see every patient, every visit, building a relationship based on time and trust. Are you or your loved one ready to receive personalized diabetes care from one of the top geriatric doctors near you? Don’t wait. Schedule your first consultation with Dr. Miller today.
Diabetes comes in several types, each with their own unique causes and circumstances. A diabetes specialist doctor like Dr. Miller understands the necessary treatments of each of these types, particularly those that affect older adults.
These types of diabetes include:
Treatment of diabetes varies depending on the type. Individuals with any type of diabetes benefit from eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and participating in regular physical activity, but Dr. Miller may recommend the following courses of action based on your or your loved one’s diagnosis:
Most forms of diabetes can be managed and, with medical treatment or lifestyle modifications, people can live relatively healthy lives.
While Type 1 diabetes usually develops during childhood or adolescence, it can also occur in adulthood. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes include the following:
Symptoms of Type 2 diabetes usually develop in adulthood, and include the same symptoms as Type 1 diabetes. Additional symptoms include the following:
It’s important to note that some people with Type 2 diabetes may not notice any symptoms at all. That’s why it’s important to receive regular testing and monitoring from a hands-on internal medicine specialist near you, like Dr. Gerard Miller.
The exact cause of diabetes is not clear, although there are risk factors for developing it. Risk factors include the presence of autoantibodies (which damage immune-system cells), a family history of diabetes, and various environmental factors.
Risks for developing type 2 diabetes and prediabetes increase as people age, and also include the following:
The risks of gestational diabetes include the following:
The risk of gestational diabetes increases if a woman is diagnosed with prediabetes prior to pregnancy.
If not treated, diabetes can lead to nerve damage, heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure, as well as permanent eye, foot, skin and bone damage. A lifelong commitment is necessary to prevent these complications from occurring. It is important for people with diabetes to take an active role in the management of their condition. Adhering to a healthy lifestyle and monitoring blood-glucose levels are essential in preventing complications.
Dr. Miller makes it easy for patients and their families to get started with his concierge practice. Contact our office to discuss pricing options, any questions you may have, and to schedule your first appointment whenever you’re ready.