Diabetes is a disease about which patients can easily get confused, especially when one is to identify signs of the disease. Moreover, diabetes is a slowly developing disease, often it is impossible to realize where exactly the beginning of the disease process was. Many symptoms of diabetes share possible characteristics with other diseases which further complicates the process of identifying it. It is important to underline that there are many diabetes symptoms, not all patients will show them, some even have no symptoms at all.
Diabetes can be described as a disease where human body cannot produce or appropriately respond to insulin. Insulin is such a hormone that facilitates passing glucose or sugar into human body cells to be used as energy. When the blood glucose is very high, two serious problems ensue: one is the excessively high blood glucose level, and the other is the excretion of glucose in the urine. It is for this reason that frequent urination has been misconstrued to be a major symptom of diabetes.
These dangerous effects of raised blood glucose level persist in a body containing continually high blood glucose levels. Due to the lack of energy, the cells begin to get damaged especially in critical organs like nerves, kidneys, eyes, blood vessels, and heart. In addition, in a critical situation, the sugar level in the body falls below the threshold, which in response forces the pancreas to excrete a hormone called glucagon. This encourages both the liver and muscles to change this stored glucose called glycogen into blood sugar, and hence, the vicious cycle continues.
Diabetes Symptoms Diagnostic
Diagnosis of diabetes really differs a lot between patients due in part to the duration of high levels of blood glucose and in part to the type of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is usually diagnosed after a long duration whereas it may be more insidious in onset, whereas Type 1 diabetes may present rather quickly, often inside of weeks or months. Symptoms then may proceed rather gradually and are usually mild when they first appear.
Some early and specific symptoms of diabetes include:
- Skin infections and irritation
- Slow wound healing
- Athlete’s foot
- Sexual problems, such as vaginal dryness in ladies and impotence in gentlemen
- Decreased or missing menstrual periods in females
- Tingling, burning in the peripheral nerves, numbness, more so in the hands and feet
- Blurred vision
- Feeling unwell and sleepy
- Loss or gain of weight
- More prone to catching urinary tract infections
Other more serious signs and symptoms of diabetes may include the following:
- Excessive urination
- Severe thirst and dehydration
- Considerable weight loss despite having a bigger appetite
- Lethargic feeling, nausea, and vomiting
- Increased hunger
- Recurring bladder, skin, and vaginal infections
- Severe blindness
Headaches - Muscle pain, weakness, and cramping
- Skin problems like acnes
- Irregular or no menstrual flow
Other possible symptoms that might be experienced by the patients include the following:
- Bleeding gums
- Tinnitus or ringing or buzzing in the ears
- Itchy skin
- Tingling and numbness of the feet
- Diarrhea
- Confusion and being unable to concentrate
- Symptoms of depression
Complications Associated with Symptoms of Diabetes
The chances of life-threatening diabetes complications will increase as the disease advances. Some of the common complications that have been associated with diabetes include the following:
- Kidney disease
Diabetic retinopathy, which might cause blindness - Sciatica and other problems related to the nerves
- Heart disease
- Stroke
Individuals should be informed that the symptoms may not manifest immediately. People often commit the mistake of delaying consultation with a doctor either because they feel their symptoms are manageable or that these have nothing to do with diabetes. This kind of attitude is self-destructive since, in the long run, complications may arise. Early diagnosis and treatment can obviate further crisis in the body.
Conclusion
Diabetes is a chronic ailment which demands attentive treatment and periodic monitoring. Knowing the symptoms and what they may signal can enable the individual to identify the possibility of a problem early and seek medical attention without delay. Diabetes is not a contagious disease; diabetes is a chronic condition which requires constant concern and management. If you feel that you could have diabetes, or you are showing one or more of the listed symptoms, schedule a doctor’s appointment to discuss how you feel and investigate further with the proper testing and management.
