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Extreme fatigue is one of the hallmark symptoms of diabetes. Also known as diabetes fatigue syndrome, it's caused by fluctuating blood glucose levels that don’t supply enough glucose for the body to use for energy.
For men, a noticeable decline in your ability to get erections could be a sign of diabetes. In fact, up to 71% of men with diabetes suffer from erectile dysfunction.
If your libido has gone to nonexistent, diabetes may be to blame. The poor circulation and depression that often accompany diabetes can make arousal difficult.
Because your body is using fluids to make urine, there's less moisture for the rest of your body. You could easily get dehydrated, leaving your mouth feeling dry.
Many diabetics will notice small round or oval lesions on their lower legs. These spots, known as diabetic dermopathy, are thought to occur in up to 55% of people with diabetes.
Intense hunger, or polyphagia, is also a warning sign of diabetes. Your body uses the glucose in the blood to feed the cells. When this system is broken, your cells can’t absorb the glucose. This makes your body constantly look for fuel, causing persistent hunger.
Blood sugar dips, nausea, fatigue, and poor circulation can make anyone feel less than happy, often making those with unmanaged diabetes irritable.
High blood sugar can affect nerve cells in the ear and cause impaired hearing. So make sure you check this during your physical exam.
Itchy skin is often caused by diabetes, and it’s sometimes one of the first symptoms. It can be caused by yeast or fungal infection, dry skin, or poor circulation.
When your kidneys have to compensate for the excess sugar in your blood, it often means you'll frequently find yourself rushing to the bathroom.
For many women, a diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) means a diabetes diagnosis isn't far behind. PCOS and diabetes are both associated with insulin resistance, meaning there are similar hormonal issues in both diseases.
Studies have found that people who took daytime naps longer than an hour were 45% more likely to have type 2 diabetes compared to those who napped less. This is because sleep deprivation, depression, or sleep apnea are all associated with an increased risk of diabetes.
Anybody can get a bacterial, fungal, or yeast infection, but people with type 2 diabetes tend to get them more often. The high blood sugar associated with diabetes can weaken a person's immune system, making them more susceptible to infection.
Both types of diabetes have some of the same telltale warning signs. But some are more characteristic of type 2 diabetes. They tend to show up after the glucose has been high for a long time.
Pregnant women can risk getting gestational diabetes. High blood sugar during pregnancy usually has no symptoms, which is why it's always tested.
Over time, high blood sugar levels narrow your blood vessels. It slows down blood circulation and restricts the development of nutrients and oxygen, which makes it hard for your body to heal wounds.
Elevated blood sugar can cause nerve damage, which is often signaled by a tingly feeling in your hands. If left untreated, this can lead to tissue death and amputations.
About 10% to 20% of people who are diagnosed with diabetes already have some nerve damage related to the disease. One might feel a strange, electric tingling in the feet, or have decreased sensation or balance.
If your body can't get energy from your food, it will start burning muscle and fat for energy instead. This will cause you to lose weight, even if you haven't changed how you eat.
Diabetics often notice that they've developed sweet or nail-polish-like breath before they're diagnosed. Sweet breath is often a sign of diabetic ketoacidosis, a condition in which your body can't effectively convert glucose into energy, keeping your blood sugar at dangerous levels if untreated.
If you think you may be experiencing any of the early signs of diabetes, it's important to get tested. When you spot the condition early, you can avoid nerve damage, heart trouble, and other complications.
Sources: (Health.com) (Healthline) (Eat This, Not That!)
Both men and women with diabetes can get yeast infections. Yeast feeds on glucose, so having plenty around makes it thrive.
Another warning sign of diabetes is acanthosis nigricans. This is a condition that causes discoloration on the back of your neck. The velvety, dark skin changes can also occur on your armpits and groin.
While some diabetics tend to lose weight, weight gain is nearly as common. Diabetes and thyroid disorders often go hand-in-hand, making diabetics more susceptible to weight gain.
Both high and low blood sugar can make you feel sick to your stomach, and this unsettled feeling is often one of the first signs diabetics notice before a diagnosis.
The rapid surges and dips in blood sugar that are part of untreated diabetes can cause profound shifts in your mood, including depression.
Elevated blood sugar levels can damage your retinas and cause fluid levels around your eyeballs to fluctuate. This can leave you with blurry or impaired vision.
Periodontitis, also known as gum disease, may be an early sign of type 2 diabetes. Studies have found that people with gum disease, especially those with severe cases, had higher rates of diabetes and pre-diabetes than those without.
And because you have to pee so much, you can get very thirsty. The combination of your kidneys working overtime and excessive thirst makes round-the-clock peeing a reality for people with unmanaged diabetes.
Diabetes is one of the most commonly diagnosed diseases in the world, and while discovering you have it can be scary, the sooner you know, the more manageable your condition will be. Symptoms are caused from higher-than-normal levels of glucose, a kind of sugar, in your blood. However, the warning signs can be so mild that you don't even notice them. But it's important that you do.
Want to know the signs of diabetes? Then check out this gallery.
Unexpected symptoms that could indicate diabetes
From itchy skin to irritability, you'll be surprised by these diabetes symptoms
HEALTH Signs
Diabetes is one of the most commonly diagnosed diseases in the world, and while discovering you have it can be scary, the sooner you know, the more manageable your condition will be. Symptoms are caused from higher-than-normal levels of glucose, a kind of sugar, in your blood. However, the warning signs can be so mild that you don't even notice them. But it's important that you do.
Want to know the signs of diabetes? Then check out this gallery.