Symptoms of Diabetes

Diabetes is an insidious disease that you can have for years without knowing about it. The symptoms are subtle, and can indicate other conditions thereby delaying diagnosis. Because it is important to treat diabetes to avoid life threatening complications down the road, it is important to recognize the symptoms and seek medical advice.

Thirst and urination

The need to drink more fluids and the need to urinate more frequently are classic signs of diabetes. Excess sugar, or glucose, in your blood forces your kidneys to work harder to deal with the sugar. When the kidneys cannot keep up, the sugar is excreted through the urine causing you to urinate more frequently. This frequent urination can cause dehydration, causing you to drink more fluids.

Fatigue and weight loss

Fatigue may result from dehydration and your body's inability to function properly and to use the sugar effectively. Because sugar is excreted through frequent urination, the sugar from your food may not reach the body's cells. This results in weight loss and increased hunger.

Sores, infections and swollen gums

People with diabetes seem to have more frequent infections, and the sores that they have heal more slowly. Bladder and vaginal infections are particularly common in women with diabetes, while gum infections are problematic among both sexes. It is thought that the high sugar levels interfere with the body's ability to heal and fight infections.

Eyes, hands and feet

Blurred vision is another possible symptom of diabetes. The high sugar levels leach fluids from your eyes, and this results in blurriness. In addition, because excess sugar can cause nerve damage, you may notice tingling, burning pain and loss of sensation in your hands, arms, legs and feet.

It is important to know the symptoms of diabetes. Check with your doctor if you notice these symptoms. A simple blood test is all that is needed to make the diagnosis. The sooner the condition is diagnosed, the sooner treatment can start, and the less likely you are to suffer debilitating problems later.