Diabetes is a common disease that can lead to devastating and life-threatening consequences if you do not manage it accordingly.
It’s an incurable disease that stops your body regulating sugar levels in your blood meaning sufferers either produce little or no insulin or doesn’t respond to it properly.
Many suffer from diabetes later in life because of ill health or old age. However, if you discover it in time, you can avoid the unpleasant consequences, so keep an eye on these nine diabetes warning signs.
1. You pee often
One of the most common symptoms of diabetes is frequent peeing. Because the body wants to get rid of the excess sugar in the blood, the kidneys have a lot of work to do. If the kidneys are overworked, the body wants to pee out the sugar.
2. Blurred vision
High blood sugar can cause the lens of your eyes to swell, which in turn affects your ability to see. Diabetes can also affect the nerves that control tear production causing dry eyes.
3. You get infections easily, and they take a long time to heal.
Because the body works so hard to handle the excess sugar levels, less energy is spent on healing wounds and infections. Your immune system is weakened and therefore your body becomes more vulnerable.
4. Extreme hunger
In the early stages of diabetes, it is common for the person affected to feel extremely hungry. Glucose from the blood cannot enter the cells so the food you eat is not converted into energy, causing an increase in hunger.
5. You are often very thirsty
If you feel constantly thirsty or have trouble quenching your thirst, it may be that you have diabetes. The condition causes excess sugar to build up in your blood and your kidneys are forced to work overtime to filter this sugar, which requires more fluids.
6. Weight loss, without knowing why
When the body works hard and eliminates a lot of fluid, it often results in weight loss. If this happens to you without trying, it may be a sign of diabetes.
7. You feel tired and exhausted
Constant fatigue is common in a diabetic, as blood sugar levels are unbalanced.
8. Tingling hands and feet
If you feel numbness or tingling feelings in your feet, arms or hands on more than one occasion, check for diabetes. High blood pressure can damage the nerves that send signals to your hands and feet which can cause a numbness or tingling.
9. Your breath smells like nail polish
Diabetes can cause a chemical odor on your breath. A smell similar to that of nail polish can be the result of high ketone levels which is a sign you’re at risk of a dangerous condition called diabetic ketoacidosis.
Source: Diabetes Health Center, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Never ignore these symptoms, either in you or if you notice them in someone else. If the disease is diagnosed in time, the consequences do not need to be devastating. Please share these important warning signs with others.
