Diabetes is a common life-long medical condition, and many people are unaware that they have it. It develops when the pancreas does not produce any or enough insulin. It also occurs when the pancreas does develop insulin but the body cannot use it properly. This is referred to as insulin resistance. Insulin resistance or lack of insulin causes glucose levels in the blood stream to become too high because it is unable to enter the body’s cells.
The high levels of glucose in the blood stream produce a set of symptoms that people should be on the look out for. Although the symptoms on their own may present for a variety of reasons, together they are tell-tale warning signs of diabetes. Those with type 1 diabetes will find that their symptoms are fairly obvious and develop quickly over the period of a few weeks. On the other hand, those with type 2 diabetes may find that their symptoms are less noticeable as they develop slowly over the course of several years.
Type 1 and type 2 diabetes have a different set of symptoms, although there is some overlap. In type 1 diabetes the symptoms to watch out for are extreme tiredness, unexplained weight loss, extreme thirst, dry mouth, frequent urination and blurred vision. A condition called ketoacidosis, which occurs when acid compounds build up in the blood, is also common in type 1 diabetes. It is regularly the first sign of type 1 diabetes, but left untreated can cause serious complications and possibly death.
Similarly to type 1 diabetes, those with type 2 diabetes may also experience blurred vision, extreme thirst, dry mouth and frequent urination. They may also experience several other symptoms that at first glance may not appear remotely related to diabetes. These include leg pain, itching skin, yeast infections such as thrush, and a particularly long healing time for cuts and scratches.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms you should contact your doctor as soon as possible. Although diabetes is a life-long condition early diagnosis and treatment can reduce the risk of developing complications that can occur in undiagnosed cases of diabetes.
