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The General Symptoms of Diabetes
By Julia Hanf | July 29, 2008
The signs of diabetes may be confusing. Not all the common symptoms are present is each case of diabetes. Symptoms may appear and disappear. Other problems can produce similar symptoms. Despite these factors, diabetes is usually marked by some common signs.
Unusually frequent urination is one of the classic symptoms that suggests the possibility of diabetes. One defining attribute of the disease is excessive glucose levels in the blood. Either the body produces too little insulin to deal with it (Type 1 diabetes), or the insulin isn’t used correctly (Type 2).
The body attempts to compensate by eliminating the excess glucose using the urine. The kidneys work at higher than normal levels to filter out the excess sugar. When they can’t remove enough, the remainder is passed through when other fluids are eliminated as waste products of metabolic processes.
The excess urination leads to extreme thirst. A person with untreated diabetes may be constantly thirsty. No amount of fluid seems to quench the thirst, but it does cause more urination.
Fatigue that will not go away may also accompany diabetes. Glucose is the body’s major energy source and it must be processed with the aid of insulin. When insulin is not present or not used properly the person will have little energy and will feel fatigued.
But other body systems can be affected by diabetes and show up as symptoms.
Blurry vision can result from any number of conditions, even simple age where it is often just presbyopia. Presbyopia results from reduced elasticity of the lenses as we age, leading to a lessened ability to focus. But the cause in the case of diabetes is very different.
In diabetes, high blood glucose levels decrease the fluid in all the tissues, especially in the lenses. This impedes focusing. New blood vessels form in the retina as diabetes advances and can severely impair vision, causing spots or flashing lights in the visual field. Rings can appear around lights.
Diabetes can also affect wound healing. Cuts, especially on the feet may heal more slowly in a person with Type 2 diabetes. Scientists don’t clearly understand the reasons for this problem, but can be another symptom. In addition, the immune system is weakened and cannot fight infection as well.
See a physician if you suspect you have diabetes. Don’t try to self-diagnosis. The symptoms of diabetes can be easily due to some other condition. Blood tests are needed for an accurate diagnosis. Fortunately, your insurance policy will likely pay for these simple tests.
Topics: Diabetes |
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