Alarm bells: doctors named 17 signs of diabetes

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People suffering from diabetes risk facing such serious problems as blindness, heart attack and even loss of a leg. However, if you pay attention to your body's alarm signals, you can detect this dangerous disease in time and avoid irreparable consequences.

In particular, doctors identify 17 symptoms that may indicate that a person has diabetes.

1. Fatigue

Of course, many things can cause fatigue, including the simplest explanation that a person simply does not get enough sleep. But fatigue almost always accompanies diabetes. After all, the body is trying and failing to use the “fuel” it receives. If you find yourself very tired after eating and needing more energy, this is a clear sign that diabetes may be present.

2. Excessive hunger and thirst

In diabetes, the body is overwhelmed with the task of breaking down glucose in the blood. Water is removed from the cells because it is present in excess in the body. But in doing so, all the important nutrients that your body needs, including glucose itself, are lost. The result is dehydration and hunger.

3. Frequent urination

As water is being drawn from all cells to flush out excess glucose, your kidneys are overwhelmed trying to filter and reabsorb it. This means you’ll be running to the bathroom more often than usual to avoid fluid retention. This can lead to dehydration and chronic fatigue, a problem that often plagues people with diabetes 24/7 and can make it hard to get a good night’s sleep.

4. Yeast Infections

Yeast infections most often occur in the vagina in women, but sometimes men also suffer from it. Yeast feeds on excess sugar, which can be excreted in sweat, urine and mucus. Thus, yeast infections are found almost anywhere on the skin, but especially in areas that tend to retain moisture.

5. Erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction in men with diabetes is likely related to damage to the nerves and blood vessels.

6. Poor vision

Diabetes causes vision loss because your eyes depend on fluid in and around them to function properly. Dehydrated eyes become distorted and struggle to focus. Diabetes also causes nerve damage. When new blood vessels in the back of the eye try to replace the damaged ones, permanent blindness can occur.

7. Slow-healing wounds

If you notice any cuts or sores that don't heal (assuming they aren't constantly injured), this could also be a sign of diabetes. First, the body can't repair the damage because its resources are directed at removing excess glucose, and second, a host of underlying infections simply love to feed on sugar and will take advantage of its availability.

8. Unexplained Weight Loss

Your body can't get energy from the food you eat and instead burns fat to survive. This is not sustainable in the long term, and is a sign that diabetes is causing a person to starve no matter how much they consume.

9. Nausea and vomiting

When diabetes causes rapid weight loss, the body burns fat at an unsustainable rate. This process creates ketones, which can build up in the blood to dangerous levels and lead to a potentially fatal condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. Ketones cause nausea and even vomiting in people with sensitive stomachs.

10. Painful or numb feet and legs

Diabetes causes arteries to narrow and nerves to become damaged, and these symptoms are most noticeable in the legs and feet. Poor circulation and nerve damage can combine to cause skin ulcers or infections that take a long time to heal.

11. Swollen or tender gums

Diabetes weakens the body's ability to fight off germs that are everywhere. Because of the moist environment, sharp teeth surrounded by soft tissue, and everything that gets in there every day, the mouth is especially susceptible to infection. Seek immediate help if your gums are too soft, have separated from your teeth, or have developed pockets of pus.

12. Bad breath

13. Frequent Urinary Tract Infections

One reason diabetics are prone to these painful infections is because they have poor blood circulation, which makes it harder for white blood cells to reach the infected area. High blood glucose also increases the risk of infections in general and increases the total volume of urine. All that sugary fluid in the bladder becomes a breeding ground for infection.

14. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

This condition is a leading cause of infertility among women who suffer from it, and unfortunately, it also often leads to insulin resistance. Up to 50% of women with this problem will eventually develop diabetes. Therefore, if you are diagnosed with it, you should strictly follow your doctor's recommendations for lifestyle changes.

15. Darkening of the skin

This symptom involves darkening and thickening of the skin, especially in the folds. Sometimes the darkened skin will be slightly raised and velvety in texture. It most often appears in the armpits, neck, groin, or under the breasts. Doctors consider these skin changes a sign of diabetes and believe they are related to insulin resistance.

16. Chronic dehydration

Dehydration occurs because high blood glucose causes the body to pull water from the cells and does not allow it to be properly replenished. The need to urinate constantly removes this water from the body completely. Dehydration is a serious problem that can kill. It also contributes to other problems, including dry skin, poor vision, and painful joints.

17. Irritability/Depression

Because diabetes symptoms can be vague and seem unrelated, they can be emotionally distressing. They also develop against the backdrop of the problems mentioned above – exhaustion caused by cellular starvation, decreased sex drive due to erectile dysfunction or persistent yeast infections, bladder infections.