Diabetes is a health condition characterized by high blood sugar levels. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it affects around 11% of the American population, which is around 37.3 million individuals. The early signs of diabetes often go undetected or dismissed as minor health issues. However, early diagnosis and treatment of diabetes are crucial, so it’s important to know which early signs to look out for. In this article, we will explore nine of these early signs of diabetes.
Skin Tags
Skin tags are harmless skin growths that can form on any part of your body. Some are firmly attached to the skin, whereas others hang from a tiny stalk. These growths are medically known as acrochordons. These skin tags are found all over the body, but most often on the underarms, groin, neck, and eyelashes. They are typically regarded as benign, but they could also indicate underlying health conditions such as type 2 diabetes. It’s always best to visit a doctor so that they can find out what is causing the tags to appear.
The Appearance of Small Bumps
Those with diabetes may also potentially experience elevated triglyceride levels. Triglyceride is a kind of fat that circulates in the bloodstream. Elevated levels of this fat can result in small bumps appearing on your skin, a condition called eruptive xanthomatosis. For individuals with lighter skin tones, these bumps will often appear yellowish in color. They can also appear grayish in color in individuals with darker skin tones. These bumps typically appear in areas such as your thighs, buttocks, knees, and elbows. However, they can appear anywhere and tend to be itchy and tender to the touch.
Feeling Unusually Drained
It’s perfectly normal to feel tired every now and then, especially after busy periods with little rest. However, the feeling of being tired usually goes away after a bit of rest. Fatigue is something else completely and you feel drained the whole time, even if you have rested. Experiencing fatigue is a common sign of both type 1 and 2 diabetes. There are several reasons that diabetes causes fatigue, such as being overweight, side effects of diabetes medication, and changes in blood sugar levels.
Dark Patches of Skin
One of the early signs of prediabetes and diabetes is dark patches of skin on the armpits, groin, and neck that feel velvety to the touch. While it may at first appear as if something external may have discolored your skin, you will notice that no amount of scrubbing will get rid of the patches. This condition is called acanthosis nigricans, and it is not contagious. While many individuals without any underlying health issues get this condition too, it is often a sign of an undiagnosed medical condition, such as prediabetes or diabetes. Since it is often linked to insulin resistance, it’s best to have it checked out by a doctor.
Feeling Thirsty and Needing to Urinate the Whole Time
Some of the early signs of diabetes include always feeling thirsty and needing to urinate the whole time. When your blood sugar rises, your kidneys are forced to work harder to try to filter and absorb all the excess glucose. If the kidneys become overwhelmed by the workload, the excess glucose exits the body through the urine. Fluids are drawn from the body through this process, resulting in dehydration, which is why you feel thirsty.
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Blurry Vision
If an individual has diabetes, their bodies don’t produce or respond to insulin. This hormone delivers glucose to the cells. Too much glucose in the bloodstream can potentially result in blood vessel and nerve damage, even those connected to your eyes. There are a range of different eye diseases associated with diabetes, including diabetic retinopathy, macular edema, glaucoma, and cataracts. Blurry vision can occur when the eye lens swells due to diabetes. Doctors recommend that individuals make sure their blood sugar levels are controlled before going for an eye exam for new glasses. This is to ensure that you get an accurate eyeglass prescription.
Wounds That Take A Long Time To Heal
If your blood sugar levels are consistently elevated, it can have a negative impact on the natural healing process of your body. This is because the high levels cause damage to the blood vessels responsible for transporting oxygen and nutrients to various parts of your body, including your skin. This injury can result in compromised circulation, which is required for wound healing. This means that cuts, bruises, and other injuries take longer to heal. Elevated blood sugar levels can also negatively impact your immune system, which makes it harder for your body to effectively combat infections.
Unexpected Weight Loss
Most of us experience some degree of weight fluctuation over time. We tend to put on a few extra pounds around the holidays and lose a few during an illness or extremely busy work period. However, if your weight starts drastically dropping without any change in diet or exercise regime, then it may be an early sign of diabetes. This weight loss usually occurs rather quickly, over a period of a few weeks to a couple of months. This is because the glucose from your food isn’t being efficiently absorbed by the cells. This causes your body to break down your fat supplies and muscle, which results in a sudden loss of weight.
Tingling and Numb Skin
Two signs of prediabetes include numbness and a tingling sensation. This is because high blood sugar levels can damage small nerves, resulting in a condition called diabetic neuropathy. This condition can also make it feel like your feet, hands, and arms are burning. Some people also report a feeling similar to socks bunched up under their toes. It’s important to take note of these early signs of diabetes and see a doctor if you are experiencing any of them. A simple blood test will be able to tell you if you have prediabetes or not.
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