Are You Experiencing These Signs And Symptoms Of Diabetes?
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Thanks to sedentary ways and unhealthy eating habits, diabetes has become a common household disease. The probability of a family member or oneself being diagnosed with diabetes is very high. In India, about 5% of the total population suffers from diabetes. The diagnosed cases are just a mere 5% as there are a major chunk of Indians with diabetes has not been diagnosed yet.
Diabetes is caused due to excess glucose in the blood. Diabetes can be broken down into two types- type-1 and type-2 diabetes. The warning signs of type 1 diabetes are severe and show up rather quickly. However, on the other hand, the warning signs of type-2 diabetes are relatively mild. In type-2 diabetes, people are unaware of the signs until the symptoms start hampering their lifestyle and health. This unawareness regarding the symptoms of type-2 diabetes has been noticed in around half the people with this disease. A condition known as pre-diabetes that leads to type-2 diabetes also shows no symptoms.
That being said, there are some common signs and symptoms of diabetes that everyone should look out for. Read on to find out the warning signs of diabetes.
Increased Appetite: The food we consume is converted into glucose which is used by our cells for energy. In diabetes, the body does not make enough insulin and hence the glucose cannot enter the cells which in turn restricts the energy flow to the body. Therefore, a person feels hungry more often.
Fatigue: Since the cells are not provided with the required energy to carry out day-to-day functions, a person feels more tired and experiences intense fatigue. This can also lead to restlessness.
Frequent urination: Due to excess sugar (glucose) in the blood, a person tends to urinate more often. Due to the lack of insulin, the kidneys are unable to filter the glucose back into the blood. Therefore, in order to dilute the glucose, the kidneys use the water from the blood which fills up the bladder. In simple words, the body tries to release the glucose from the body in the form of urine.
Increased thirst: A person with diabetes urinates more than usual and therefore, to replace the lost fluids, tends to drink water more frequently.
Dry mouth: A diabetic person’s body uses all the body fluids to make urine which leaves very less moisture for the skin. This dehydrates the body and that is why a diabetic person is highly vulnerable to dry mouth and dry skin.
Blurred vision: Due to the uneven and changing fluid levels in the body, the lenses in the eyes tend to swell up. In the process, they change shape and therefore, lose the ability to focus resulting in blurred vision.
Unusual weight loss: Since the cells are not getting enough glucose, they use alternate sources of energy like muscle tissue and body fat. This leads to unusual weight loss.
Numbness or tingling: Too much sugar in the body tends to damage the nerves. Therefore, a person with diabetes might experience numbness and tingling, especially in the hands and feet.
The signs and symptoms of diabetes are almost negligible and therefore, it is recommended that you consult a Diabetologist to ensure that you are not at the risk of developing diabetes.
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