Blood sugar, or glucose, is your body’s main source of energy. Hypoglycemia is a condition where your glucose level is lower than normal, which can occur for a number of different reasons. Most commonly, hypoglycemia is related to diabetes treatment and its side effects, as well as if you eat less than usual after taking diabetes medication, or if you exercise more than you normally do.
Other drugs and conditions that disrupt glucose production or delivery in the body can also cause low blood sugar, although this is less common. These possibilities include: ingesting someone else’s diabetes medication accidentally; drinking excessive alcohol without eating; severe liver or kidney illnesses; tumors in the pancreas, adrenal or pituitary glands affecting hormones and insulin overproduction.
Symptoms
Look for the following signs and symptoms that indicate blood sugar levels are too low:
• Hunger
• Shakiness
• Anxiety, irritability
• Sweating
• Pale skin
• Fast or irregular heartbeat
• Sleepiness
• Dizziness
As hypoglycemia gets worse, symptoms might include:
• Confusion
• Blurred vision
• Passing out, loss of consciousness, seizures
Facial Signs of Hypoglycemia
Early warning signs of hypoglycemia can show up first on a patient’s face. These visual & other indicators include:
• Skin cold to the touch and pale complexion
• Numbness or tingling in the face
• Facial sweating
• Flushed face
Testing and Treatment
Testing for hypoglycemia involves a physical exam, medications and medical history, and a blood glucose level test if you are having symptoms. Treatment typically involves quickly getting your blood sugar back to normal either with high-sugar foods or drinks or with medications. Long-term treatment requires identifying and treating the cause of hypoglycemia.
At our clinic, our holistic and Functional Medicine approaches seeks to address the root causes as well as bring the body back into balance naturally through dietary adjustments and herbal supplements, as well as with lifestyle changes. We focus on stabilizing glucose levels and educating you on hypoglycemia prevention, using complimentary and alternative protocols including:
• BIOSET
• Cupping
• Electro Dermal Screening
• Food and Environment Sensitivity
• Organ Detoxification & Restoration