Type 1 Diabetes
The symptoms of type 1 diabetes appear suddenly and may be rather
severe in nature. Usually detected during childhood, type 1 diabetes may
cause a serious condition called diabetic ketoacidosis, which causes
vomiting, nausea and dehydration. If left untreated, symptoms become
more intense and the condition may eventually lead to coma or even
death.
Type 2 Diabetes
The signs of type 2 diabetes are usually subtle, often going unnoticed for
many years before a blood test reveals the presence of the disease. The
symptoms of diabetes may also be wrongly attributed to obesity or aging,
and if not properly treated, may lead to other serious complications
including heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, or permanent nerve
damage.
The common symptoms of diabetes that occur with both major types of
the disease include:
- Excessive urination: Excessive urination, or polyuria, occurs when the
body attempts to rid the system of extra glucose through the urine. This
condition may then lead to dehydration after losing large amounts of
water when excreting the excess sugars.
- Excessive thirst: Excessive thirst, or polydipsia, occurs when the brain
receives a signal to dilute the blood in order to deal with the extra glucose.
This signal is translated as thirst by the body, which needs to consume
more water to counteract the loss by the excessive urination.
- Unexplained weight loss: People with diabetes may experience weight
loss even though they are taking in a normal, healthy amount of food, or
even an excessive amount, as the disease affects the way the body
processes calories. Dehydration and excessive urination are other
symptoms that may also contribute to unexplained weight loss.
- Excessive eating: One of the functions of insulin, which is secreted to
counter high levels of blood sugar, is to stimulate the appetite. Too much
insulin may cause increased hunger and lead to overeating, a condition
known as polyphagia.
- Fatigue: Diabetes causes the body to have difficulty processing and using
glucose as a means of fuel. To compensate, the body must then work
harder to metabolize fat as an alternate source of fuel, which may cause
fatigue and a constant feeling of tiredness.
- Slow-healing wounds: Both oxygen and white blood cells are necessary
for healing and regenerating new tissue, but when the level of sugar is too
high, those cells aren’t able to function normally, causing the body to be
susceptible to infections and taking longer than usual to heal. Those who
have had diabetes for many years may also have poor circulation, which
also causes wounds to need more healing time due to a thickening of the
blood vessels.
- Frequent infections: Urinary tract infections and both skin and yeast
infections are symptoms of diabetes that may be the result of a suppressed
immune system. Infections may also be from the extra glucose within the
body’s tissues, which allows bacteria to grow in excess.
- Blurry vision: While blurred vision isn’t technically a symptom that’s
specific for either type of diabetes, it does occur frequently when blood
sugar levels are abnormally high.
- Altered mental state: Symptoms of diabetes, such as confusion, agitation
or irritability, may be the result of either very low levels of blood sugar,
which is known as hypoglycemia, or from extremely high blood glucose
levels, or hyperglycemia.
By: Dr.Eswararamanan VR
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Do you want to learn more about diabetes? Signup Today for 100% Free
Diabetes Tips Weekly Newsletter Please visit nomorediabetes.info for
more details.
Dr. Eswararamanan VR is the author of this article. He has published many
health related articles to help the people.
