Symptoms of Diabetes
Symptoms of Diabetes – The symptoms of diabetes are often silent. Basic signs like fatigue can be an indicator. Learn more about signs of type 2 diabetes.
Expert: Melanie Jay, MD, MS NYU School of Medicine
Transcript
An estimated one third of people living with diabetes have no idea that they have it! Avoid being one of them by knowing what to watch out for.
The symptoms of diabetes are often subtle – like mild fatigue or minute weight loss, so the first line of defense against remaining undiagnosed is knowledge. Being aware of your family’s medical history and your risk level is imperative to the early detection of diabetes.
Had blues legend and diabetic B.B. King known his family’s history, he might have been better able to manage the disease that kept him tired and weak for years. When King was finally diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in his early 60s, the musician realized that the deaths of his mother, father, sister and niece were all due to untreated diabetes. Knowledge of your family’s history of diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure may help you avoid a late diagnosis and illness like B.B. King’s.
If these complications are in your background, or if you are overweight, understand your risk for developing diabetes is greater. It’s also important to be aware of the symptoms that are detectable in the early stages of diabetes.
The signs of Type 1 diabetes usually develop over just a few days, due to hyperglycemia, a rapid rise in glucose. Type 1 diabetics often complain of excessive thirst or hunger, sometimes accompanied by a dry mouth. Despite an increase in appetite, Type 1 diabetics often lose significant amounts of weight very quickly. Other symptoms include the need to urinate frequently, blurry vision or increased fatigue.
Unlike people with Type 1 diabetes, those who develop Type 2 diabetes do so gradually, with minor, and sometimes, no-symptoms that crop up over long periods of time. Often, they are not even diagnosed until after the complications of the disease occur. People who develop Type 2 diabetes may experience numbness or tingling in their hands and feet, sores that take a long time to heal or blurry vision. Women may contact frequent yeast infections, while some males complain of unforeseen impotency.
Prior to the onset of Type 2 diabetes, many people develop a symptom-free condition called pre-diabetes. This occurs when glucose levels are elevated, but not yet high enough to be considered full-blown Type 2 diabetes. Because pre-diabetes has no discernible symptoms, it’s important to get tested for the disease if you have a family history of diabetes or if you’re overweight.
People of non-Caucasian descent are also more likely to develop pre-diabetes. The symptoms of diabetes are subtle and sometimes don’t seem serious, but the long-term ramifications are severe. Luckily, early detection and treatment can prevent organ damage.
If you experience any of the symptoms outlined in this video or if you are a high-risk candidate for developing diabetes, see your doctor for a blood glucose test.
Last Modified: 2013-09-27
Category: Health and Nutrition, Videos
