Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes
The earliest symptoms of diabetes may seem harmless, but any conditions that are likely to be signs of diabetes should be treated with all the seriousness as you can go months and even years having this disorder and not suspecting a thing. Here are the most common early symptoms of diabetes:
Constant thirst and increased urination
In people with diabetes, the excess of glucose accumulates in the blood. The kidneys have to deal with this sugar and absorb it, and if they don’t manage to do it, the sugar leaves your body with the fluids (the urine). Frequent urination necessary for your body to get rid of excessive sugar may lead to dehydration, and no matter how much you drink, the thirst will continue.
Flu-like symptoms
Some early signs of diabetes can look like the flu, for example fatigue, loss of appetite and general weakness. This happens because your cells do not get the nutrients they need to support your energy at the necessary level. So, you are likely to feel very tired even though you are following the usual routine.
Gaining or losing weight
Sudden and unplanned weight changes can also be diabetes symptoms. This may happen because you are losing many of your calories in the fluids excreted from your body; as a result you lose weight quite fast. At the same time, diabetes can cause the constant feeling of hunger, and you start eating more than usual, but the nutrients are still unable to reach the cells and get broken down in them. Rapid weight loss is very characteristic of people with type 1 diabetes.
If you are gaining weight, it’s also quite dangerous. A lot of excessive weight makes you even more resistant to the effects of insulin, thus increasing your blood sugar levels. With the growth of the fatty tissues, your cells are able to resist insulin, which provides for the progression of the disorder. In fact, obesity and excessive weight are the main risk factors for type 2 diabetes.
Blurred vision
Sometimes diabetes symptoms can be obvious as they affect your eyes. This results in the inability to focus on objects for a long period of time.
If this condition is left without proper medical attention, the old blood vessels in your retina (the light-sensitive membrane that forms the inner lining of the posterior wall of the eyeball) can be damaged, and new ones are formed. This is likely to cause vision problems (flashing lights, dark spots, rings round light) or lead to blindness.
Sores that don’t seem to heal and frequent infections
High blood sugar levels affect the ability of your body to heal properly, which can leave your sores unhealed, even if they are minor. Frequent infections are common for women and include vaginal and bladder infections.
Tingling in your hands and feet
Nerve damage can also be caused by the excessive blood sugar. You can experience different sensations in your feet and hands, such as tingling or burning pain.
Swollen and tender gums
When people develop diabetes, they are less likely to effectively fight germs and viruses attempting to enter their body, which increases the risk of getting the gums infected. This can result in loose teeth or the development of pockets of pus inside the gums. This is especially common if you had gum infection before the diabetes diagnosis.
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