Top Best Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes - Duniya Health

What are the symptoms of type 2 diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes causes a person to have very high blood sugar levels. Recognizing the early signs and symptoms of this chronic condition allows a person to receive treatment sooner, which reduces the risk of serious complications.

Type 2 diabetes is a common condition. A 2017 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 30.3 million adults in the United States have diabetes. The report also estimated that another 84.1 million American adults have prediabetes.

Blood sugar levels are higher than normal in people with prediabetes, but doctors do not consider them to be diabetic. According to the CDC, people with prediabetes often develop type 2 diabetes within 5 years if they do not receive treatment.

The onset of type 2 diabetes may be gradual, and symptoms may be mild during the early stages. As a result, many people may not feel they have this condition.

In this article, we look at the early signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes and the importance of early diagnosis. We also discuss risk factors to develop this condition.

Early Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes

Early signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes may include:

1. frequent urination

When the blood sugar level is high, the kidneys filter through the blood and try to remove excess sugar. This may require a person to urinate more often, especially at night.

2. Increased thirst

Frequent urination that is necessary to remove excess sugar from the blood can result in excess water loss in the body. Over time, it can cause dehydration and a person may feel more thirsty than usual.

3. Always feel hungry

People with diabetes often do not get enough energy from the food they eat.

The digestive system breaks down food into a simple sugar called glucose, which the body uses as fuel. In people with diabetes, a substantial part of this glucose does not flow from the bloodstream into the body's cells.

As a result, people with type 2 diabetes often feel a constant hunger, regardless of how recently they have eaten.

4. Feeling very tired

Type 2 diabetes can affect a person's energy level and make them feel very tired or fatigued. This tiredness results from insufficient sugar in the body's cells from the bloodstream.

5. Blurred vision

Excess of blood sugar can damage the small blood vessels of the eyes, causing blurred vision. This blurred vision can occur in one or both eyes and may come and go.

If a person with diabetes goes untreated, damage to these blood vessels may become more severe, and permanent vision loss may eventually occur.

6. Slow healing of cuts and wounds

High levels of blood sugar can damage the nerves and blood vessels of the body, disrupting blood circulation. As a result, even small cuts and wounds can take weeks or months to heal. Slow wound healing also increases the risk of infection.

7. Tingling, numbness or pain in hands or feet

High blood sugar levels can affect blood circulation and damage the body's veins. In people with type 2 diabetes, it may be pain or a feeling of tingling or numbness in the extremities.

This condition is known as neuropathy, and it can worsen over time and lead to more serious complications if a person does not receive treatment for their diabetes.

8. Dark Skin Patches

Dark skin patches that form on the neck, armpits, or creases of the waist can also indicate a higher risk of diabetes. These patches can look very soft and velvety.

This skin condition is known as asanthosis nigricans.

9. Itching and Yeast Infection

Excess sugar in the blood and urine provides food for the yeast, which can cause infection. Yeast infections occur on warm, moist areas of the skin, such as the mouth, genital areas, and armpits.

The affected areas usually have itching, but a person may also experience burning, redness, and a rash.

Top Importance of Early Diagnosis

Recognizing the early signs of type 2 diabetes allows a person to be diagnosed and treated early. Getting proper treatment, making lifestyle changes and controlling blood sugar levels can improve a person's health and quality of life and reduce the risk of complications.

Without treatment, persistently high blood sugar levels can lead to serious and sometimes life-threatening complications, including:

• heart disease
• the strokes
• Nerve damage, or neuropathy
• Foot problem
• Kidney disease, as a result of which a person may need dialysis
• Eye disease or loss of vision
• Sexual problems in both men and women

Untreated diabetes can also cause hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonkeptic syndrome (HHNS), which causes severe and persistent increases in blood sugar levels. A disease or infection will usually trigger HHNS, which may require hospitalization. This sudden complication affects older people.

It is important to keep blood sugar levels under control to prevent some of these complications. The longer the blood sugar level remains uncontrolled, the higher the risk of other health problems.

Type 2 diabetes risk factors

Anyone can develop type 2 diabetes, but some factors may increase a person's risk. These risk factors include:

• Be 45 years of age or older
• Live a sedentary lifestyle
• Being overweight or obese
• Eating unhealthy foods
• Having a family history of diabetes
• Having polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Have a medical history of gestational diabetes, heart disease, or stroke
• Have prediabetes
• African American, Alaska Native, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian, Asian American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander descendants

Takeaway

Type 2 diabetes is a common condition that causes high blood sugar levels. Initial signs and symptoms may include frequent urination, increased thirst, feeling tired and hungry, vision problems, slow wound healing, and yeast infection.

Anyone who experiences the possible signs and symptoms of diabetes should see a doctor for evaluation, especially if they have other risk factors for developing the condition. Early detection and treatment of type 2 diabetes can improve a person's quality of life and reduce the risk of serious complications.