Signs and Symptoms Of Diabetes
– Type 1 diabetes is brought about when our pancreas is no longer functioning properly to produce the hormone insulin which regulates the glucose concentration in our blood by breaking this glucose so that our cells can absorb it for energy production.
Type 1 Diabetes is the most common type of childhood diabetes, which is seen in about 90 percent of children under 16. Diabetes of this nature is an autoimmune system disorder.
– Type 2 diabetes develops when the pancreas can still make some insulin, but not enough(which is known as insulin deficiency), or when the insulin that is produced does not work properly (which is known as insulin resistance ).
This kind is the most common type of diabetes which is usually called adult-onset or non-insulin-dependent diabetes.
Insulin deficiency is a condition of malfunctioning insulin-producing cells.
Whereas, insulin resistance occurs when there is plenty of insulin made by the pancreas (it is functioning normally and making plenty of insulin) but the cells of the body are resistant to its actions which results in the blood sugar being too high.
– Gestational diabetes, sometimes called glucose intolerance pregnancy, affects women who have high blood glucose levels during pregnancy.
Gestational diabetes only occurs during pregnancy when some women experience temporary high blood sugar levels.
Pregnant women need to be subjected to checking for gestational diabetes because it can harm the unborn baby and develop into other serious complications due to this abnormal surge in blood sugar concentration.
There is one thing in common with the different types of diabetes already mentioned above.
It is the signs and symptoms that are all related to high glucose levels (hyperglycemia), and temporarily low glucose levels (hypoglycemia).
It involves complications associated with diabetes which are connected to lipid production, macrovascular (large blood vessel) or microvascular (small blood vessel) damage, and organ damage – for example in the kidneys (diabetic nephropathy), nerve (diabetic neuropathy), and eye (diabetic retinopathy) damage and or the slower healing of wounds, cuts, and bruises.
Unfortunately, these signs and symptoms of diabetes are not always recognizable as being signs of a serious disorder and are not easily diagnosed.
It is not surprising that one-third of the people who have diabetes do not even realize that they have diabetes.
The revealed signs and symptoms of this widespread disease:
1) Polydipsia (Unusual thirst): Due to high blood sugar concentration, a condition that triggers the pulling of fluid from our tissue cells, the feeling of unusual thirst is often experienced.
One of the functions of our kidneys is to get rid of this excessive glucose from our system which tends to pull fluid from the tissues. Thus, it leads to unusual thirst.
2) Polyuria (Frequent urination): About polydipsia or rather the excessive glucose in the blood, one of the functions of our kidneys is to bring down this glucose level by excreting in the urine.
A cycle of feeling unusually thirsty and the act of frequently drinking water leads to polyuria-frequent urination.
3) Polyphagia (Excessive hunger): It is caused due to a lack of energy.
Insulin is required to break down glucose so that our cells can absorb it as food for our energy.
This failure to move the sugar into the cells causes depletion of energy in the organs and muscles. Hence, there is a tendency to feel hungry and crave food.
4) Emaciation (Unusual weight loss): Because the body loses the ability to store food, this lack of energy can cause extreme fatigue when our cells are not getting the needed sugar for energy to bring about the level of activities of our organs and muscles.
5) Recurring or frequent infections: Signs of a poorer body immune system that manifest itself in recurring or frequent infections.
6) Blurred vision: The high blood sugar in the body system gives rise to complications such as distortion of the eye lenses and damage done to the retina.
This development could cause blurred vision and in more serious conditions could lead to blindness.
7) Abdominal pain: Abdominal pain could develop and it is also one of those signs of the disease-diabetes.
8) Breathing may become rapid and deep: Because of higher blood acidity when the glucose level gets higher, the body tries to rectify the condition which usually leads to the development of breathing problems.
9) Irritability or moody or unusual behavior: Sudden swings of mood to become irritable and moody may be an indication of the disease-diabetes.
10) Yeast infection: Women with diabetes may develop vaginal infections more often than other women.
In cases of young babies and kids who may be having type 1 diabetes, the sign may likely be manifested in severe diaper rash. This condition can become worse.
Some other symptoms which are frequently indicative of diabetes because of complications include the following:
11) Lower healing capacity of wounds such as cuts and bruises and leaving behind dark gangrene on the skin after eventual healing.
12) Skin inflammation or diabetes dermatitis can cause itching and other skin infections.
13) The feeling of numbness or/and tingling in feet and hands because of poor blood circulation when the small blood vessels are blocked.
14) Rapid heart rate, sweating, and general weakness or fatigue as well as slowed thinking or slurred speech.
15) Nausea and vomiting could be exhibited when the acidity of the blood turns high due to ketoacidosis – a complication brought by the breakdown of fats into fatty acids.
As mentioned earlier, these signs and symptoms are linked to the complications developed by diabetes and thus are indicative of the disease only, but not definitive.
The signs and symptoms of diabetes are slow to progress in most cases and peripheral neuropathy is one of those symptoms that indicate the progress of the disease.
It has to be reiterated that it can be difficult to recognize based on diabetes symptoms alone.
A person can live with the signs and symptoms of diabetes for years before they realize something is wrong.
Therefore, be aware of these signs and symptoms so that earlier consultation with your healthcare doctors is always advisable.
