There are 387 million of people around the world who are affected by diabetes. Another 316 million people with impaired glucose tolerance are in the high risk zone and this figure would reach at 471 million by 2035. The situation is worst in India, where more than 51 million people are in the clasp of the disease. India has the highest number of diabetic people in the world and the number is likely to spike in the coming years. The saddest part is 1 in every 2 people doesn’t even know they are suffering from the disease. Early detection can help ward off serious health complications in future.
Here are the top warning signs of diabetes you must know:
Frequent bathroom visits
If your bathroom trips has increased to that extent where you cannot have a proper sleep at night, chances are you might be suffering from diabetes. Why diabetic people urinate frequently? When a person suffers from diabetes, his/her body produces more sugar in the bloodstream. In order to absorb and kick out the excess sugar, the kidneys work harder which keeps the bladder full and increases the urge to urinate frequently.
Frequent Thirst
Have you been feeling more thirsty recently? If yes, this could be a major sign of diabetes. Diabetic people have higher urge to drink more water, this is a way the body tells you to replenish those lost fluids. Unquenchable thirst and frequent urination are two major symptoms of diabetes that goes hand-in-hand.
Weight Loss
Unexplained weight loss without any effort can be a symptom of diabetes. High sugar level in blood can cause rapid weight loss (up to or over 5% of total body weight). Due to lack of sufficient insulin, diabetic people fails to get enough glucose from the blood for body cells to use as energy. This results in burning fat and muscles for energy, causing an overall body weight reduction.
Fatigue and Weakness
Do you feel tired often? Whatever glucose we get from our foods are supposed to be transferred to our body cells, to fuel our body as energy. But when insulin is insufficient, this simple task of transferring energy doesn’t happen which causes extreme tiredness. Don’t ignore when you are feeling tired, this could be a symptom of diabetes.
Hunger Pangs
Hunger pangs could be another sign of diabetes. If you feel hungry more often than before, it is possible that your body is warning you. As sugar level in blood plummets, the carvings for food increases. Your body thinks you haven’t been fed and crave for more glucose which the cells require to function.
Slow Healing
When cuts, bruises and infections on your skin takes longer than usual to heal, it could be a sign of diabetes. Slow healing is a telltale sign of diabetes. Diabetic patient have higher level of glucose in their blood, which make it difficult to heal cuts and bruises.
Blurred Vision
Does your vision becomes blurred? Diabetes could be the real culprit. Blurred visions, seeing flashes of lights and floaters, could be symptoms of diabetes. High blood sugar in blood causes swelling in the lens of the eyes which make your vision somewhat blur. However, it comes back to normal state once the blood sugar level drops.
Please note, the above signs of diabetes are common in both Type I and Type II diabetic patients. In both the types, high blood sugar is the main reason. The only difference is, in Type I diabetic patients the insulin producing cells have been destroyed. And in case of Type II diabetes, the body cells becomes intolerant to insulin that is produced.
Whether it is Type I or Type II, fix an appointment with a doctor for early detection and treatment. You can also post your requirement on UrbanPro.
