Diabetes is a chronic health condition that alters the manner in which your body processes sugar (glucose). If you have diabetes, you have a very high blood sugar level. This can lead to serious health problems, including heart disease, stroke, blindness, and kidney disease.
There are a number of illnesses that could be an early sign of diabetes, including:
- • Frequent urination: When you have diabetes, your kidneys have to work harder to filter glucose out of your blood. This can lead to frequent urination.
- • Excessive thirst: When you have diabetes, your body is constantly trying to get rid of excess glucose. This can lead to excessive thirst.
- • Extreme hunger: When you have diabetes, your cells are not able to get the glucose they need for energy. This can lead to extreme hunger.
- • Unexplained weight loss: If you are losing weight without trying, it could be a sign that you have diabetes. High blood sugar levels can cause your body to break down muscle and fat for energy.
- • Fatigue: When you have diabetes, your cells are not getting the glucose they need for energy. This can lead to fatigue.
- • Blurred vision: High blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels which are located in your eyes. This can lead to blurred vision.
- • Slow-healing sores: High blood sugar levels can damage the nerves and blood vessels in your feet and legs. This can make it difficult for sores to heal.
- • Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet: High blood sugar levels can damage the nerves in your hands and feet. This can result in numbness or tingling.
- • Darkening of the skin on the back of the neck, underarms, or elbows: This condition, called acanthosis nigricans, is caused by high levels of insulin in the blood. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells to absorb glucose from your blood.
If you have any of these symptoms, it is important to see a doctor right away. They can do a blood test to check your blood sugar levels and diagnose diabetes.
If you have diabetes, it is important to manage your blood sugar levels carefully. This will help to prevent the serious health problems that can be caused by diabetes. There are a number of things that you can do to manage your blood sugar levels, including:
- • Following a healthy diet
- • Exercising regularly
- • You should take medicines as prescribed by your doctor
If you have any questions or concerns about diabetes, talk to your doctor. They can help you to develop a plan to manage your diabetes and stay healthy.
