Diabetes is a chronic disease that appears when the body cannot properly produce or use insulin to level glucose (sugar) in the blood.
The type 2 diabetes is the most common form : affects 90-95% of cases. The rest have type 1 diabetes, which is usually diagnosed in children and young people, also known as insulin dependent. Unlike the first, the reasons that prevent the body from producing enough insulin are unknown.
As many people do not know they are diabetic , there are a number of common symptoms of this disease. If you notice that you have some of them, it is convenient that you consult a doctor to make the diagnosis.
Diabetes symptoms
1. Increased thirst: the frequent need for diabetics to drink water is due to excess glucose or blood sugar that the kidneys must filter. They extract fluids from other tissues to help expel excess sugar.
Thirst is a response of the body so that by drinking water you help the kidneys with the process. By drinking so much extra liquid, your urge to urinate will inevitably increase.
2. Blurred vision: high glucose levels can cause the lens of the eye to cloud, causing blurred vision. Usually, these episodes only last while glucose is elevated, and once they are leveled, the blur disappears.
3. Headaches: may indicate you have glucose problems. People with diabetes usually have headaches because glucose fluctuations are too high or too low.
4. Unexplained tiredness: if you notice that lately you are very tired, it is that your body tries to warn you that your glucose levels are unstable. When levels drop, fatigue and also the craving for sweet or brown things appear to help raise blood glucose values. The best practice in these cases is to eat an apple or other healthy snack, since caffeine and processed sugar can aggravate the problem.
5. Mood swings: glucose levels also affect mood. When they are short, you may feel upset or angry. If a person experiences mood swings frequently, he may suffer from depression and anxiety that are common symptoms in diabetics.
6. Weight loss: the body becomes unable to use insulin as energy because blood sugar cannot enter cells, or because insulin is not produced. To compensate for the necessary energy, it begins to break down fat and muscle. This is what causes you to lose weight.
If the breakdown of fat continues without the person receiving treatment, a serious condition known as acetoacidosis can result. It occurs at the time that chemicals known as ketones are discharged into the bloodstream when the fat breaks down. Ketones increase the acidity of the blood.
7. Extreme feeling of hunger: diabetes produces negative changes in the body's metabolic processes. Glucose is the main source of energy that the body needs to perform daily activities in a healthy way, it becomes a problem if the cells cannot use it.
The body reacts to this energy deficit making you feel extremely hungry. The regular attacks hunger and general weakness are undeniable warning signs of diabetes.
8. Tingling or burning sensation: diabetic neuropathy is a severe disorder that manifests as nerve damage caused by high glucose levels. It is a very serious disorder since it is usually irreversible.
Sometimes the nerves are so damaged that the affected limbs have to be amputated. In the initial stages, neuropathy can manifest itself in the form of tingling or burning sensation in the feet, arms and fingers. They are alarming symptoms that you should not ignore.
9. Impairment of dental health: diabetes affects the body's ability to protect itself from harmful microorganisms such as bacteria. Because almost all of them enter the body through the mouth, a diabetic may begin to have different diseases in that part of the body. If it is very severe, it can even cause the loss of all teeth.
The first symptoms of this condition may include poor dental health, deterioration of the jaw, inflammation and gum pain, among others. A very noticeable sign is when a dental problem suddenly gets worse.
10. Reduction of cure rates: In addition to causing a marked weakening in the immune system, diabetes also leads to a drastic reduction in the body's healing capacity. Science has not yet managed to adequately explain the reasons for these changes. Somehow, high glucose levels decrease the healing rates of infections and wounds. It can be alarming if you also have other symptoms.
11. Constant urge to urinate: it is related to thirst. Diabetes causes blood glucose to exceed normal levels and forces the kidneys to work more than usual. This extra work produces more urine, causing the individual to constantly feel like going to the bathroom.
This condition can cause kidney damage to cause kidney failure if left untreated. Therefore, you should inform the doctor if you have a constant desire to urinate for a prolonged period.
12. Infections: a deterioration in the immune system occurs making the body susceptible to a variety of infections that may appear out of nowhere. Dental and urinary tract are the most common symptoms.