Signs of Diabetes: Watch for Diabetes Warning Signs
and Risk Factors
Current estimates
show that up to 21 million people in the United States have diabetes,
equating to about 7 percent of children and adults. Even though
diabetes is quite prevalent in our society, about one-third of people
with signs of diabetes are not aware of it. This presents a grave
problem for the more than 6 million Americans who don’t realize
they need diabetes treatment. Early treatment of diabetes is essential
since it can prevent damage to the heart, kidneys, eyes, blood vessels,
and nervous system. There have even been cases where early diabetes
treatment has helped patients to stop taking their type 2 diabetes
medication.
It is more important
than ever before to be aware of the signs of diabetes. Diabetes
warning signs are basically the same whether you have type 1 or
type 2 diabetes. The major signs of diabetes are as follows:
- Frequent urination
- Unquenchable thirst
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue and weakness
- Blurry vision
- Numbness and tingling in hands,
feet, or legs
- Frequent and slow to heal
infections
- Dry or itchy skin
Along with these
signs of diabetes, other warning signs include having at least one
or more risk factors for diabetes. The risk factors for diabetes
are being overweight, getting little or no exercise, and having
a sibling or parent with diabetes. Diabetes is also more common
in certain ethnic groups such as Native Americans, African Americans,
Asian Americans, and Latinos. If you have signs of diabetes, it
is recommended that you undergo diabetes testing for blood glucose
as soon as possible. By testing now, you could save yourself from
many diabetes complications in the future.
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