Diabetes – Common Symptoms of Diabetes
Diabetes can present puzzling symptoms. In some cases, the common symptoms may not show up. Diabetes symptoms may not be constant. Similar symptoms may be signs of other diseases. However, there is a common set of signs that generally signal the disease.
Unusually frequent urination is one of the classic symptoms that suggests the possibility of diabetes. One defining attribute of the disease is excessive glucose levels in the blood. Either the body produces too little insulin to deal with it (Type 1 diabetes), or the insulin isn’t used correctly (Type 2).
In both forms of diabetes, the body tries to eliminate extra glucose through urination. The kidneys filter out some extra sugar, but they cannot remove it all. Glucose is then excreted as waste from other metabolic processes.
One result, and an accompanying symptom, is excessive thirst. The diabetic feels as if he or she is always thirsty, and no matter how much fluid is taken in it never seems like enough. That in turn prompts still more urination.
Another common and possible symptom is continual fatigue. Since insulin isn’t performing its role properly by aiding the cells to take in glucose from the bloodstream, the diabetic may feel tired. Glucose is the major source of energy for powering an enormous variety of the body’s functions from cell repair to major muscle movement.
But other body systems can be affected by diabetes and show up as symptoms.
Age and other conditions can cause blurry vision. As we age, the lenses of our eyes lose their elasticity, making focusing more difficult. This is called presbyopia. Vision problems related to diabetes, are more damaging than simple age related changes.
High blood sugar levels reduce fluid in the tissues, including those of the eye and in particular the lenses. That affects your ability to focus. When the disease becomes more advanced it can cause new blood vessels to form in the retina. That again affects your vision. Though in this circumstance, the result is more often seeing dark spots or flashing lights, or rings around room lights.
Wound healing may be affected by diabetes. Scrapes or cuts may not heal quickly in Type 2 diabetics; this is especially true of wounds on the feet. Slow healing is another sign of diabetes, though the causes of it are not completely understood. Diabetics may also experience a weakened immune system and be unable to fight infection sufficiently.
Since so many of these symptoms can be (and are) produced by a number of other conditions, the best course of action if you suspect you have diabetes is to seek a professional diagnosis. Simple blood tests can determine with a high degree of confidence whether or not you do in fact have the disease. They’re relatively painless and most are covered by ordinary health insurance.
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