Diabetes is a disorder that impairs the body’s ability to process blood glucose, also known as blood sugar. There may be various types of diabetes, and managing the disease depends on the type of diabetes. Not all types of diabetes are caused by a person overweight or living an inactive lifestyle. Some have been present from childhood. Here in this article, we will discuss the early signs of diabetes.
The estimated number of people above 18 years of age with diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes in the United States is 30.2 million. The number is between 27.9 and 32.7% of the population.
Without continuous, careful treatment, diabetes can lead to a build-up of blood glucose. This raises the risk of dangerous conditions, including stroke and heart disease.
Early Signs of Diabetes
Both forms of diabetes have the same warning signs.
1. Increased Thirst
A very common early symptom of diabetes, increased thirst, arises because diabetes allows sugar (glucose) to build up in the bloodstream. Normally, the kidneys absorb glucose. But the extra glucose is flushed out of the urine as it is overwhelmed. Water from other body tissues is dragged along, leaving you dehydrated and craving liquids to replace what you’ve lost. Professionals such as Harvard Medical School recommend drinking 4 to 6 cups of water a day.
Talk to your doctor if you are hydrating properly, but you have noticed an uptick in your thirst.
2. Frequent Urination
In early diabetes, the body will enhance the amount of urine and flush out excess blood sugar. And you may find yourself having to go more often. It’s important to understand what’s normal for your body. Average individual urinates between 7 and 8 times a day, but up to 10 times a day is normal for some.
If you urinate more than your norm, and particularly if you wake up multiple times in the middle of the night to urinate, talk to your primary care physician right away.
3. Excessive Hunger
Diabetes causes an uncontrollable increase in blood glucose. At the same time, it prevents cells from using glucose for energy purposes. This lack of energy can make you hungry.
If you notice that you’re always hungry, even though you’ve just eaten regular meals and snacks during the day, talk to your doctor.
4. Fatigue
Because diabetes raises blood sugar, it prevents the body from using it for energy. Frequent urination can also disrupt sleep.
There is a difference between tiredness and fatigue. Normal tiredness is going to get better after rest. But if you still feel worn out despite getting enough sleep, it’s worth talking to your doctor.
5. Blurred Vision
According to the Mayo Clinic, high blood glucose levels remove fluid from your tissues, including your eye lenses. This may affect your ability to focus and cause blurred vision. Diabetes may also cause new blood vessels in the retinas, causing damage to established vessels. If these changes are untreated, they can lead to vision loss.
If you have these early signs of diabetes, such as blurred vision, see a doctor ASAP. Diabetes is a chronic disease, even in people with a very healthy diet.
6. No symptoms
People often have no symptoms of diabetes,” says Kristine Arthur, MD, an intern at the MemorialCare Medical Group in Irvine, California. Sometimes they may experience weight gain, excessive hunger, and elevated fatigue. Still, these effects may be occurring in other conditions. So blood tests must be done to figure out what causes them.
Have your HbA1c levels tested with a blood test every year at your annual check-up.
Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes
They appear to show up after the glucose has been elevated for a long time.
- Yeast infections. Both men and women with diabetes have the potential to have this. Yeast depends on the glucose, but having a lot of it helps it thrive. Infections can develop in any warm, moist skin fold, including between fingers and toes, under breasts, or near sex organs.
- The Cuts or the Bruises That Will Not Heal. Diabetes can cause skin injuries, such as cuts and bruises, to heal more slowly. High blood sugar will stiffen blood vessels, slow down blood flow, and keep oxygen and nutrients from breaking down and bruising to heal them. Diabetes may also damage the immune system, slowing down the body’s normal repair processes. If you find the cuts or bruises are not healing easily, visit your health care professional.
- Tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands or feet. Diabetes can lead to a form of nerve injury called neuropathy. This can cause tingling or numbness in the extremities, such as your hands or legs. This is risky because numbness can make cuts or bruises easy to overlook. Complications can occur because diabetes can cause wounds to heal more slowly.
Be mindful of what’s going on in your body, and if you feel any unexplained pain, numbness, or tingling in your hands or feet, see your health care provider immediately.
Early signs of Type 2 Diabetes
You will notice:
- Unintentional Weight Loss. Losing weight without any improvements in diet or exercise may sound great. Still, the definition is too good to be true. It may indicate a severe health problem, such as hyperthyroidism, cancer, or diabetes. When diabetics lose glucose due to repeated urination, they often lose calories. Diabetes can also prevent cells from consuming glucose from energy food. And the body may continue to burn its fat stores as fuel instead. Both of these can result in weight loss. If you should not try to lose your pounds, visit your doctor and see if you should be checked for diabetes.
- Nausea and vomiting. When the body burns fat, it makes ketones. They will build up to dangerous levels in your blood, potentially a life-threatening disease called diabetic ketoacidosis. Ketones will make you feel sick in your stomach.
Early signs of Type 2 Diabetes complications can include:
- Poor healing of sores or cuts
- Itchy skin (around the groin area or vaginal)
- Regular infections of the yeast
- Recent weight gain
- Velvety, dark skin changes in the neck, armpit, and groin, called Nigerian acanthosis
- The numbness and tingling of hands and legs
- Decreased vision
- Impotence or erectile dysfunction (ED)
Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, occurs when the level of sugar or glucose in your blood drops too low to fuel your body. You might feel that:
- Shaky
- Nervous or anxious
- Sweaty, chilly, or clammy
- Cranky or impatient
- Confused
- Lightheaded or dizzy
- Hungry
- Sleepy
- Weak
- Your mouth, tongue or buttocks feel tingly or numb
You might notice:
- Fast heartbeat
- Pale skin
- Blurred vision
- Headache
- Nightmares or crying when you sleep
- Coordination problems
- Seizures
Hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, causes many of the warning signs of diabetes, including those mentioned above:
- Heavy thirst
- Blurry vision
- Peeing a lot
- More hunger
- Numb or tingling feet
- Sugar in your urine
- Weight loss
- Vaginal and skin infections
- Slow-healing cuts and sores
- Blood glucose above 180 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl)
The bottom Line
If you suspect that you may have any early signs of diabetes, talk to your doctor immediately. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment can greatly reduce the risk of serious and life-threatening health problems.
