6 Early Signs of Diabetes You Shouldn’t Ignore

Diabetes is a condition that affects millions of people around the world. Left untreated, diabetes can lead to serious health problems, including blindness, kidney failure, and heart disease.

That’s why it’s so important to know the early signs of diabetes and take action if needed. In other words, don’t let diabetes catch you by surprise!

Think about it another way: If you ignore diabetes symptoms now, they may worsen as time goes on and become harder to treat.

Why take that chance? My point is this – the sooner you recognize the initial symptoms and seek medical help, the better for you. The choice is yours.

But wait, what is diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or cannot use the insulin it does produce effectively.

Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels. Without enough of it, glucose builds to high levels in the blood, resulting in various medical problems such as organ damage and nerve pain.

Early signs and symptoms of diabetes

Here are early signs of diabetes you shouldn’t ignore:

1. Extreme thirst and frequent urination

Obviously, extreme thirst and frequent urination may be early indications of high blood sugar levels. Basically, when glucose accumulates in the bloodstream, it draws water from body tissues, resulting in increased thirst and urination, particularly at night.

2. Fatigue

Many diabetic patients complain about fatigue or general tiredness throughout their day, even when they haven’t been overexerting themselves physically. Oddly enough, this symptom is often attributed to depression.

But it could be caused by high blood sugar levels as well, so it’s something to keep an eye on.

3. Frequent hunger

Frequent hunger is one of the most common warning signs of diabetes. If you find yourself constantly feeling hungry, even when your stomach is full, it could be an indication that something is wrong with your body’s ability to regulate glucose.

4. Blurry vision

Blurry vision may also point to diabetes. Actually, if your blood sugar levels become too high, they can start to damage the lenses in your eyes and cause vision problems.

Most importantly, this kind of damage may be irreversible, so getting prompt treatment is essential.

5. Slow healing of cuts and wounds

Slow healing of cuts and wounds is yet another sign of diabetes that shouldn’t be disregarded. Diabetes makes it difficult for our bodies to heal since high blood sugar affects the flow of oxygen in our bodies.

In general, wounds that don’t heal after prolonged treatment or infections could likely be a result of diabetes and must be taken seriously.

6. Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet

Surprisingly enough, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet is also indicative of poor circulation and high blood glucose levels, which tend to affect nerve endings leading to a burning sensation or abnormally decreased sensations like tingling or numbness. This sign is known as neuropathy.

Takeaway

Ultimately, it is important to be aware of the early signs of diabetes. If you experience extreme thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, frequent hunger, blurry vision, slow healing cuts or wounds, and/or tingling or numbness in the hands and feet, you should contact your healthcare provider right away.

Early detection and treatment are key to preventing more serious long-term health problems associated with diabetes.

Learn More: 9 Symptoms of Prediabetes You Shouldn’t Ignore