What
are Diabetes Symptoms?
Every day, 2,200 new cases of
diabetes are diagnosed in the United States. The diabetes symptoms
seen in those with type 1 diabetes are fairly obvious.
The majority of early diabetes symptoms are caused by elevated blood
sugar levels, and loss of glucose in the urine. High amounts of
glucose in the urine can cause increased urine output and lead to
dehydration. Dehydration causes increased thirst and water consumption
- two of the most common diabetes symptoms.
The inability of insulin to perform normally has effects on protein,
fat and carbohydrate metabolism. This means that without adequate
insulin production (as seen in type 1 diabetes) will eventually
cause noticeable weight loss, despite increased appetite.
The symptoms of Type 1 diabetes (juvenile diabetes) may occur suddenly,
and include:
- Frequent urination
- Increased thirst
- Extreme hunger
- Unexplained weight loss
- Extreme weakness and fatigue
- Urinating at night (nocturnal enuresis)
- Blurred vision
- Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
- Heavy or labored breathing
- Drowsiness or lethargy
- Fruity odor on the breath
- Irritability
While Type 1 diabetes symptoms are usually
quite obvious, type 2 diabetes often develops more insidiously,
showing few or no symptoms. This may explain why it often goes unnoticed
for four to seven years before diagnosis.
Because blood sugar levels rise slowly, the symptoms of this more
common form of type 2 diabetes may develop over years or may not
occur at all. The diabetes symptoms are the same as for Type 1 diabetes:
repeated trips to the bathroom, thirst, and fatigue. But they may
develop gradually enough to be easily overlooked. Other symptoms
can include recurrent urinary infections, tingling or numbness in
the hands and feet as a result of nerve damage, recurring vaginal
yeast infections in women and erectile dysfunction in men.
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