high blood sugar: When there is too much sugar in the blood because the body lacks enough insulin, it causes diabetes, or high blood sugar. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over the past three decades, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes has increased dramatically in countries of all income levels and today, approximately 422 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes. Diabetes needs to be treated as uncontrolled blood sugar levels can affect vital organs like our heart and kidneys and can even lead to death. There are some early symptoms of diabetes that you should pay attention to.
Early symptoms that may indicate high blood sugar
1) frequent urination
If you suddenly feel that you need to urinate more often than usual, it could be a sign of high blood sugar. If the blood glucose level is high, the kidneys try to control it by filtering excess sugar from our body. Therefore frequent urination, especially at night, can be an early warning sign of diabetes.
2) Weight loss despite frequent hunger pangs
Our bodies get energy from glucose – the simple sugar that is created when the body’s digestive system breaks down food. But when you are diabetic, your body’s insulin resistance prevents glucose from entering the muscles and providing energy. So you will continue to feel hungry no matter what and when you eat. Combine this with apparent weight loss for no reason. Some reports suggest that since the body fails to obtain its fuel from glucose, it breaks down muscle and fat for energy, leading to unhealthy weight gain.
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3) Feeling constantly tired or fatigued
Frequent urination at night can disturb sleep and lead to dehydration. In addition, your body lacks energy because it is unable to obtain the desired fuel from glucose. So you may feel constantly tired or fatigued. This feeling of tiredness often persists and can affect your quality of life and the way you carry out your daily duties.
4) blurred vision
High blood sugar affects other organs such as the kidneys and eyes. When the level of glucose in the blood is too high, it can damage the small blood vessels in the eyes, which can lead to blurred vision. It can also cause swelling of the lens of your eye, which can cause slight blurring of vision. While this will subside with treatment, without proper care and prolonged absence of treatment, complete blindness can result.
5) Wounds and wounds heal slowly
If the level of glucose in the blood is continuously high then the nerves and blood vessels of our body can get damaged. This can adversely affect blood circulation. Therefore, even the smallest cuts and wounds will take a long time to heal. This is a very prominent symptom of diabetes. This is especially seen in the lower legs and feet.
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Tingling sensation or numbness in feet or hands
As mentioned earlier, diabetes damages the nerves that affect blood circulation. So this can lead to a tingling sensation or numbness in the feet or hands in type 2 diabetics. It is also known as diabetic neuropathy.
7) Skin discoloration
Insulin resistance, as occurs in high blood sugar, can lead to a condition called acanthosis nigricans. Darkening of the skin in the folds of the neck, armpits and above the knuckles is a symptom of diabetes. These dark spots may feel velvety.
While these are some signs, of course, consult a doctor before jumping to any conclusions or starting a line of treatment.
(Disclaimer: The article is based on general information and is not a substitute for the advice of a medical expert. Zee News does not confirm the same.)