Signs & Symptoms of Diabetes

It is important to detect and treat high blood sugar conditions early so that nerve damage and its related complications such as numbness, tingling, burning sensation, nerve pain and loss of feeling can be prevented or delayed. Did you know that diabetes is “silent”? It means that many people are not aware that they have diabetes since the symptoms can be so mild. Early detection and treatment of diabetes can prevent or delay the onset of diabetes complications such as nerve damage. Consult your healthcare professionals if you experience the following signs and symptoms:

• Frequent urination (polyuria)

When you have diabetes, the concentration of sugar in the blood rises above normal level. The excess sugar is excreted into your urine along with water drawn from your tissues. When this happens, it triggers more frequent urination.

• Feeling very thirsty (polydipsia)

As the amount of urine being excreted increases, your body starts to feel dehydrated, causing you to feel thirsty and need to drink more.

• Extreme fatigue (tiredness)

Feeling tired and finding it difficult to carry out simple everyday tasks are symptoms that suggest the onset of diabetes. In a healthy person, insulin will allow glucose into the cells where it is used as fuel. However, when there is not enough insulin or the body is not sensitive to insulin, glucose is unable to get into your cells and used for energy. Besides that, if frequent urination during night time is interrupting your sleep, you may feel fatigued from lack of sleep.

• Unexplained weight loss – Even though you are eating more (Type 1 diabetes)

When large amounts of sugar are being excreted in your urine, the calories content in sugar are being lost as well. The effect is the same as consuming fewer calories. You will notice that you are losing weight even though you may be eating more than usual. Weight loss is common in those with type 1 diabetes but less so for people with type 2 diabetes.

•  Blurry vision

High levels of blood sugar draw water from your lens in the eyes, which affects your ability to focus. This causes loss of sharpness of vision and inability to see fine details.

•  Cuts or bruises that are slow to heal

High blood sugar impairs parts of your body’s immune system that are needed for fighting infections and healing wounds. The wounds may become worse when there is poor blood supply and nerve damage. Unhealed wounds are prone to infection and can cause ulcers or sores which eventually lead to amputation.

•  Tingling, pain or numbness in the hands or feet

Excessive sugar in your blood can lead to nerve damage. Common symptoms of nerve damage include numbness, tingling, burning sensation and loss of feeling in your arms, hands, legs and feet.

If you experience any of the signs and symptoms of diabetes, you are advised to consult your healthcare provider to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes-related complications such as foot ulcers, eye disease, heart disease, kidney disease and nerve damage.