Few signs show you might have Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high.

The signs of diabetes are subtle but serious.

Blood glucose is your main source of energy and comes from the food you eat.

Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps glucose from food get into your cells to be used for energy.

And while diabetes is manageable, it can shorten your life considerably.

It can also up your risk of things like blindness, heart attack, and even loss of a foot.

Fatigue: Lots of things cause fatigue, including the simplest explanation that you’re just not sleeping enough.

But fatigue almost always comes along with diabetes because the body is trying and failing to use the fuel that’s put in.

If you find that you’re extra tired after eating, when you should have more energy, that’s a strong sign that diabetes might be present.

Excessive hunger and thirst: What happens is that the body is overwhelmed by the task of processing glucose in your bloodstream.

Water is pulled out of cells to try and flush away the excess, but in the process, all the important nutrients your body needs, including the glucose itself, are lost.

The result is a cycle of dehydration and hunger that eating and drinking more only perpetuates.

Frequent urination: Because water is pulled from all available cells in order to flush away excess glucose, the kidneys get overwhelmed trying to filter and reabsorb it.

That means you’ll be running to the toilet way more than usual to eliminate the build-up.

All that peeing can leave the body very dehydrated, not to mention exhausted.

Because, this is a 24/7 problem that will affect your ability to sleep through the night.

Erectile dysfunction: Erectile dysfunction in men with uncontrolled diabetes likely stems from damage to nerves and blood vessels.

Though embarrassing to discuss, erectile dysfunction affects both the sufferer and his partner.

Probably the last thing you need when already feeling crummy from uncontrolled diabetes is an unhappy relationship with your significant other.

Blurry vision: Diabetes causes blurry vision because your eyes depend on the fluid within and around them to function properly.

A dehydrated lens warps and struggles to focus.

This condition often resolves upon proper diabetes management.

However, left unchecked, diabetes also causes nerve damage.

When new vessels in the back of the eye attempt to form over damaged vessels, it can lead to permanent blindness.

Slow healing sores: Slow healing sores or cuts may indicate diabetes.

Not only is your body’s system for healing compromised by its effort to expel excess glucose.

But a bunch of opportunistic infections just love to feed on sugar and will take advantage of its availability.

Nausea and vomiting: When uncontrolled diabetes results in rapid weight loss, your body burn fat at an unsustainable rate.

That process creates ketones, which may build up in your blood at dangerous levels and lead to a potentially fatal condition called diabetic ketoacidosis.

The ketones cause nausea and even vomiting in people with sensitive stomachs.

Painful or numb feet and legs: Diabetes leads to hardening of the arteries as well as nerve damage.

Poor blood flow and nerve damage combined can lead to skin ulcers or infections that take a really long time to heal.

And because there may also be numbness, you might not realize how badly your feet are suffering.

Swollen or tender gums: Diabetes weakens the body’s ability to fight off germs, which, unless you live in a bubble, are absolutely everywhere.

Due to its moist environment, sharp teeth surrounded by soft tissues, and all the stuff that gets put in there daily, mouths are especially sensitive to infection.

Skin darkening: This symptom involves darkening and thickening of the skin, especially in folds.

Sometimes the darkened skin will be slightly raised and velvety in texture.

Most often it is found in the armpits, neck, groin, or under breasts.

Doctors consider acanthosis nigricans to be an indication of diabetes and is thought to be related to insulin resistance.

Depression: The symptoms of diabetes can be vague and seem unconnected, they may spark uneasy emotions that start to feel like the primary concern.

From exhaustion caused by cell starvation to a diminished sex life due to erectile dysfunction or recurring yeast/bladder infections, it stand to reason that irritability and depression may result from uncontrolled diabetes.

Conclusion

Managing your physical health can do a lot to improve mental health.

The disease can be controlled – even healed, if caught early enough.

And if your tests come back clear, you will have gained valuable peace of mind.