A walk in clinic is a great place to get quick and easy medical care for minor illnesses and injuries. But can a walk in clinic test for diabetes? The answer is yes - many walk in clinics offer testing for diabetes and other conditions. This blog post will provide an overview of what diabetes is, how it is tested for, and who else can test for it. We'll also discuss the benefits of getting your diabetes tested at a walk in clinic. With that said, let's get started.
What is a Walk in Clinic?
A walk in clinic is a healthcare facility that offers medical services to patients on a walk-in basis. This means that you don't need an appointment to see a doctor or nurse at a walk in clinic. Walk in clinics usually have shorter wait times than hospitals or traditional medical practices. At Aries Medical Center our walk in clinic is always accepting new patients and we also have an all inclusive lab and radiology department within the same building for your utmost convenience. We also serve multiple locations including:
Walk in Clinic Brampton
Walk in Clinic Milton
Walk in Clinic Mississauga
Walk in Clinic Barrie
Walk in Clinic Georgetown
Walk in Clinic Vaughan
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a condition that affects the way your body utilizes sugar. There are two main types of diabetes - type 1 and type 2. With type 1 diabetes, your body doesn't produce insulin, which is a hormone that helps to regulate blood sugar levels and transfer sugar into the blood cells. In this case, type 1 diabetics have to take 100% of their insulin externally through insulin injection or pump therapy. Type 1 diabetics lose their ability to produce insulin due to an autoimmune disease in which the bodies immune system destroys the beta cells within the pancreas that are capable of producing the insulin hormone. Comparatively, type 2 diabetes is when your body still produces insulin, but it doesn't use it properly or doesn't produce enough to account for a persons weight or age. Having said that, unlike type 1 diabetes with type 2 diabetes, the pancreas still produces insulin, but the body's cells don't respond to it properly. As a result, type 2 diabetics typically need lower dosages of supplementary external insulin usually in the form of insulin pills to treat their condition.
What are the Symptoms of Diabetes?
If you have not been formally diagnosed with diabetes, there are a few symptoms that may require you to visit a walk in clinic and consult your doctor that are usually indicative of having some form of insulin deficiency. Among the main symptoms of diabetes include:
Feeling very thirsty
Frequent urination
Feeling very tired
Undesired Weight loss (despite eating more food)
Blurry vision
Cuts or bruises that are slow to heal
Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet
Very high feeling of irritability
Typically if your insulin production stops, you will experience these symptoms all of a sudden and it will be very clear that something is not right, in which case you should seek the help of a medical professional for a more formal diagnosis.
Can a Walk in Clinic Test For Diabetes?
Yes, a walk in clinic can test for diabetes. Having said that though, a walk in clinic usually helps for the initial part of the diagnosis. This is usually done after a consultation in which a family doctor will listen to your symptoms and act accordingly. If the symptoms sound like you could be suffering from diabetes, a walk in clinic will test by having you conduct a urine or blood test. In either case if an abnormal amount of sugar is found within your blood or urine, this is typically a clear indicator that your pancreas is not producing an adequate amount of insulin which is usually a clear sign that you may need more serious attention and could be potentially diabetic. In most cases, if a walk in clinic medical professional suspects that you may be diabetic, they will most likely refer you to emergency services for a more in depth diagnosis at which point you may need to be referred to a diabetic specialist if you are in fact diabetic.
How is Diabetes Tested For?
There are a few ways to test for diabetes including a urine or blood test. The most common way to test for diabetes however, is through a fasting plasma glucose test or a fructosamine test. In a fasting plasma glucose test, you will be asked to fast for at least 8 hours before the test is conducted. This means that you cannot have anything to eat or drink during this time. After the 8 hours have passed, a medical professional will take a blood sample from you and test it for glucose levels. If your glucose levels are higher than normal, it is an indication that you may have diabetes. On average your fasting blood sugar should range between 4.0-7.8 mmol/L anything significantly lower than this (hypoglycemia) or higher than this (hyperglycemia) is usually a clear sign that you may need supplementary diabetic treatment.
Conclusion
All in all, if you feel these symptoms all of a sudden, it may be a good idea to seek the attention of a medical professional immediately. More often than not, if you have diabetes, the sooner it is caught the better as this will allow you to receive the treatment that you need to manage your condition better. A walk in clinic can test for diabetes, but they may only be able to give you a preliminary diagnosis and will most likely refer you to emergency services for a more in depth assessment.
Keep in mind that this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you are experience serious symptoms of diabetes, please seek professional help, you can also contact us to speak with a medical professional today.