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Jun 5, 2024 · Takeaways. Diabetes often starts with mild symptoms such as feeling very hungry and tired, needing to pee a lot, being very thirsty, having a dry mouth, itchy skin, and blurry vision. Type 1 ...
- Overview
- What are the warning signs of diabetes?
- Other warning signs of type 1 diabetes
- Other warning signs of type 2 diabetes
- What are the risk factors for diabetes?
- How is diabetes diagnosed?
- How is diabetes treated?
- What’s the outlook?
- Can diabetes be prevented?
- The bottom line
Early symptoms of diabetes include extreme thirst, a frequent need to pee, and unintentional weight loss. See a doctor for a diagnosis if you are experiencing any of these symptoms.
Diabetes is a serious, common medical condition. If you have diabetes, you need to manage and regularly monitor your glucose (blood sugar) levels to be sure that they’re within a target range.
There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2.
Type 1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune condition usually diagnosed in childhood or adolescence.
Type 2 diabetes, which typically develops in adulthood, occurs when your body stops responding to insulin, a hormone produced by your pancreas, that helps your cells take in sugar from your blood.
The only way to know for sure that you have diabetes is to get tested. The most common tests are the A1C test and the plasma glucose test.
Untreated diabetes tends to cause worsening symptoms over time as chronically high blood sugar levels cause more damage to your tissues and organs. You may not recognize these warning signs in the beginning if they’re mild.
The symptoms of type 2 diabetes tend to come on more gradually than type 1 diabetes. In the early stages of diabetes, there may be no symptoms at all.
Type 1 diabetes symptoms can develop quickly, within a few weeks or months.
It’s generally diagnosed in children and young adults, although it can occur at any age. It’s most commonly diagnosed in children 4 to 6 and 10 to 14 years of age.
In addition to the symptoms outlined above, a child may experience additional symptoms, such as:
•sudden, unintentional weight loss
•wetting the bed after a history of being dry at night
•a yeast infection in a prepubescent girl
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes tend to come on more gradually than type 1 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes can develop over the course of several years, and the warning signs may be subtle. It’s also possible to not have any obvious warning signs at all.
Instead, you may be diagnosed with diabetes after visiting your doctor for:
•persistent infections or a slow-healing wound
•numbness or tingling in your hands or feet
•heart problems
There are certain risk factors for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. This isn’t an exhaustive list, and even adults can develop type 1 diabetes, though it’s rare.
Many people get tested for diabetes because they develop symptoms that are potential early warning signs.
For example, people with type 1 diabetes may experience unintentional weight loss or develop flu-like symptoms. People with type 2 diabetes may experience extreme thirst or frequent urination.
You may experience one or more of the warning signs associated with diabetes. If you do, it’s important to contact your doctor for an appointment.
You may also discover a diabetes diagnosis after visiting your doctor for another condition or for routine blood work.
If you make an appointment with your doctor due to diabetes warning signs, they will want to know:
•your symptoms
Diabetes can be treated in several ways. Diet, physical activity, and careful monitoring are important if you have diabetes, no matter which type of diabetes you have.
If you have type 1 diabetes, you will need to take insulin for the rest of your life. That’s because your pancreas doesn’t produce the insulin your body needs.
If you have type 2 diabetes, it may be possible to control your diabetes with lifestyle changes, such as diet, weight loss, and exercise. You may also need to take oral or injectable medications, including insulin or metformin, to manage your blood sugar levels.
If you have either type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you’ll need to carefully track your diet to prevent your blood sugar levels from getting too high. This generally means watching your carbohydrate intake as well as limiting over-processed, low fiber foods, such as:
•sugary sodas
•sweetened breakfast cereals
If you have type 1 diabetes you’ll need to manage your glucose levels by matching your insulin to your diet and activity.
If you have type 2 diabetes, you may be able to manage your blood sugar levels with diet and activity alone. If lifestyle changes don’t help to bring your blood sugar levels down to a healthy range, your doctor will work with you to add medications as needed.
Diabetes is a progressive disease that may require re-evaluation and changes to your treatment plan over time.
You can live a full and active life with diabetes. Although diabetes requires careful planning and management, it shouldn’t prevent you from engaging in and enjoying everyday activities.
Type 1 diabetes can’t be prevented.
You may be able to reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by managing your weight, staying active, and following a healthy diet. However, genetics and other risk factors may increase your risk despite your best efforts.
Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in childhood. Early symptoms often include unintentional weight loss, bedwetting, and flu-like symptoms.
Type 2 diabetes is more likely to be diagnosed in adulthood. Early symptoms can include extreme thirst, frequent urination, and slow wound healing.
Often, symptoms of untreated diabetes get worse and are either mild or unnoticeable in the early stages. A diabetes diagnosis can be confirmed with one or more blood tests.
Talk with your doctor if you believe you have diabetes. Getting on top of your condition and managing it effectively is key to controlling your symptoms and preventing more serious health problems.
Jun 27, 2023 · Greater thirst and more urination. Being very thirsty and urinating often are common diabetes symptoms. In people who have diabetes, extra sugar — which also is called glucose — builds up in the blood. This forces the kidneys to work overtime to filter and absorb the extra sugar. When the kidneys can't keep up, extra sugar goes into the urine.
Nov 9, 2021 · The color of the urine you produce if you've got diabetes is usually clear or very lightly colored. 2. You feel thirsty more often than usual. As you urinate more, you'll feel more dehydrated, and ...
Each type of diabetes may have different symptoms, which can include: unusual thirst. frequent urination. weight gain or loss. extreme fatigue or lack of energy. Symptoms can also include: blurred vision. frequent or recurring infections. cuts and bruises that are slow to heal.
Jul 16, 2024 · Type 2 diabetes often develops slowly over many years. Common early symptoms include: increased thirst. increased hunger. fatigue. blurry vision. frequent urination that interrupts your sleep ...
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Sep 10, 2024 · 4. Nerve pain or numbness. If you have type 2 diabetes, you might experience tingling or numbness in your hands, fingers, feet, and toes. This is a sign of nerve damage, or diabetic neuropathy ...
