Health Symptoms- Know the Signs to Stay Safe
Health Symptoms: Know the Signs to Stay Safe
The health symptoms associated with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are somewhat general – they can be linked to several other conditions or can simply be associated with feeling a little under the weather. However, diabetes is a serious condition that can lead to severe diseases and health problems when left untreated.
It’s important to know the symptoms of diabetes so that it can be identified quickly, and the condition can be gotten under control sooner rather than later. It can be complicated to manage, but there are many sufferers worldwide who have learned to control their condition on a daily basis. It’s estimated that there are 371 million diabetic people worldwide; but according to the International Diabetes Foundation, as many as 187 million of those people are unaware that they have the condition.
Since diabetes complications can be fatal, it’s vital for people to be alert to the warning signs in themselves and others. Stay safe and know how to spot the symptoms of diabetes early by browsing this list of health clues.
- Thirstiness and frequent urination
These classic diabetes symptoms happen due to the body trying to flush out excess glucose build up in the blood through urine instead. As the body draws water from tissues, it causes the person to need to urinate more often than normal. As a result, they feel thirstier, and the cycle continues. Left unchecked, this problem (called polyuria) can cause dehydration, and overworked kidneys can become damaged.
- Feeling tired
Fatigue and lethargy are common signs that the body isn’t properly converting glucose into energy. This is because insulin isn’t being produced, the body isn’t producing enough, or the insulin produced isn’t strong enough. In any of these cases, the person has diabetes – and can feel quite tired because of it. A sudden or gradual loss of energy should be investigated by a doctor.
- Impaired vision
Too low or high blood sugar levels can cause blurry vision. This can happen a lot or infrequently, and then can return to normal once blood glucose levels stabilize. This problem should always be checked out by a medical professional, as it could be a sign of diabetes or another eye problem. Blurred vision is identified as the inability to see fine details.
- Losing weight
Losing glucose through urine also means that the body is losing out on calories – this can cause rapid weight loss. It can mean that the sufferer feels hungry more often, or even constantly. Losing weight despite increased hunger and food consumption is, therefore, a tell-tale sign of diabetes. Keep a close eye on food intake and weight where diabetes is suspected.
- Genital itching/thrush
This unusual symptom is caused by high levels of glucose being passed out through urine. As the glucose remains in the blood where it shouldn’t be (insulin isn’t able to help convert it into energy), the body flushes it out in urine instead. However, this provides a perfect petri dish for the growth of bacteria, leading to itchiness and fungal conditions like thrush.
- Headaches
Uncontrolled blood glucose levels can cause frequent headaches. Headaches in diabetic people normally range from moderate to severe, but managing blood glucose levels is the best way to get relief. A headache caused by high blood sugar can take days to develop – therefore the signs can take a long time to appear. Being diagnosed with diabetes is the first step to understanding how to manually manage blood glucose. Anyone suffering from frequent bad headaches or migraines might benefit from being medically assessed for signs of diabetes.
- Nausea
Feeling sick and nauseous could be a symptom of underlying diabetes. Usually, the actual cause of the nausea is found to be pancreatitis, which is when the pancreas (the glandular organ that produces the hormone insulin) becomes inflamed and swollen. This may be accompanied by vomiting and abdominal pain. Feeling nauseous is a common complaint about people living with diabetes – don’t ignore the sudden onset of nausea.
- Shortness of breath
This symptom is associated with a condition known as diabetic ketoacidosis (or DKA). DKA is a short-term diabetes complication that arises when someone has high blood glucose as well as high levels of ketones in their blood. It can cause shortness of breath and rapid, labored breathing. It’s exceptionally important to seek medical help when a person is experiencing an unusual shortness of breath – not only to determine if they are suffering from diabetes. This could be a sign of a number of serious health concerns.
Be Aware of Early Warning Signs!
Knowing the early prediabetes symptoms and causes is crucial to keeping your health in check. By simply staying alert to your health and body, you are miles ahead of millions who are unaware of how diabetes is affecting their life. By using top apps for medication adherence and simply staying alert to your health and body, you are miles ahead of millions who are unaware of how diabetes is affecting their life.
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