Signs Of Diabetes

by on September 10, 2011

Signs Of Diabetes

Diabetes is a serious illness that affects 25.8 million people in the United States alone. Left undetected diabetes can wreak havoc on your body and your health resulting in loss of vision, kidney failure and ultimately coma and death. The sooner diabetes is diagnosed the sooner you can begin getting the treatment you need to remain healthy. Knowing the signs of diabetes is essential in getting early treatment for this disease.   Signs of DiabetesThe problem is that many of the signs of diabetesgo ignored or passed off as stress or some minor ailment that will soon pass. In other cases, people hesitate to contact their physician because they worry that if the symptoms they are experiencing is not diabetes they will look foolish. However, not contacting you physician when you experience any signs of diabetes could be a mistake. Even if your blood sugar levels are normal, you may still be suffering from another illness that needs to be treated. Being aware of what your body is telling you could save your health and possibly your life.

Here are some of the most common signs of diabetes.

  • Frequent urination
  • excessive thirst
  • sudden unexplained weight loss
  • fatigue
  • general feeling of weakness or feeling weak in your legs after short periods of walking or standing.
  • Tingling or numbness in your hands, legs or feet
  • patches of dry skin
  • blurred vision
  • cuts that frequently become infected and are slow in healing.


If you are experiencing any of the signs of diabetes call your doctor immediately and set up an appointment to be tested. If you have a friend that is having any of these symptoms urge them to seek medical treatment immediately. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of this disease may prevent much of the damage that high glucose levels can cause.   If you are over 40, and are overweight you might want to speak to your doctor about being tested for diabetes even before any symptoms appear. This is a precautionary measure but, may lead to an early diagnosis and quicker treatment.   A simple blood test is all that is needed to determine if you may be suffering from diabetes. If the blood test reveals elevated blood glucose levels your doctor may order additional tests to make sure that a proper diagnosis is made. Once he is sure that you have diabetes he will start you on a plan to help treat the disease. Treatment usually includes diet and exercise and some type of medication to help get your glucose levels under control and keep it that way.   Remember this is your life and your health and knowing the signs of diabetes and being proactive in seeking treatment can help you gain control over this disease and remain healthy for many years to come.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0cvgoeANDY

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Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes

by on October 1, 2011

Common Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes

Diabetes is an autoimmune condition that cannot be treated. There are mainly two types of diabetes, namely

  • • Type 1: This form of diabetes is also referred to as diabetes insipidus. It occurs as a result of the body’s inability to produce enough insulin to facilitate breakdown of sugars or glucose injected into the body through foods or drinks. This is turn results in a build up of sugar levels in the body. An increase in blood sugar levels makes an individual become hypoglycemic. Any one suffering from this form of diabetes requires insulin injections on a daily basis .
  • Type 2: This form of diabetes is also referred to as diabetes mellitus. This is where an individual’s body is resistant to insulin as a hormone resulting in the inability of sugar being absorbed by the body cells. This again leads to hyperglycemia. Management of this condition can be through use of prescribed oral medication or insulin shots.

That said, it is worth noting that diabetes can be caused by both genetic and lifestyle related factors. Given that diabetes develops slowly in an individual, many a time people will fail to notice signs and symptoms of diabetes early enough.

What are the signs and symptoms of diabetes?

The signs below can be experienced by those suffering from Type I and/or II of diabetes:
• Increased thirst to the high sugar levels in the blood stream in addition to the frequent urination which tends to make one easily feel dehydrated

• Frequent urination given that diabetes inhibits the kidney from functioning well, hence the body has look for alternative ways of releasing excessive glucose from the bloodstream

• Blurred vision caused by damage to the blood vessels around to eye’s retina

• Increased kidney, vaginal and bladder infections that take time to heal

• Prolonged healing of any cuts and bruises

• Erectile dysfunction in men given the nerve damage in the penis region caused by diabetes. This results in hindered blood flow to the penis

• Unexplained weight loss due the inability of one’s body to get the required sugar .This makes the body cell start to breakdown any energy stored in form of fat

• Frequent fatigue given that energy giving cells get starved on sugar given that the absorbed sugar remains in the blood stream instead of due to diabetes do not get absorbed

• Numbness or tingling sensation in the hands of feet due to neuropathy(nerve damage associated high sugar levels in the body).This is usually one of the early diabetes warning signs.

Other signs and symptoms of diabetes include:
• Itchy skin especially around the vaginal and groin
• Frequent headaches
• Dry mouth and skin associated with dehydration

Signs and Symptoms of DiabetesManagement of diabetes
Given that diabetes can only be managed since there is no cure for it, it is advisable for individuals to undergo a glucose test in case they experience any of the above symptoms.

This test can be done at home or clinic, but is recommended that the initial diagnosis be done by a certified health care provider who will then give appropriate advise to the individual concerned.

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Signs of Gestational Diabetes

by on October 1, 2011

Signs of Gestational Diabetes


Diabetes is a lifelong illness that is caused by two factors:
• An individual’s inability to control high sugar levels in the body due to lack of sufficient insulin in the blood or
• Presence of too much insulin in one’s body making it hard for the body to respond appropriately. Insulin is a hormone that allows your body to break down sugar in your blood to be used as energy.


Who Is at Risk of Acquiring Diabetes?


Anyone is at risk of acquiring diabetes due to poor lifestyle or dietary choices. This also applies to pregnant women who given certain predisposing factors may become vulnerable to gestational diabetes, a form of diabetes mellitus.  Given that insulin is a hormone that helps the body breaks down sugar or glucose during pregnancy with several hormones at work, it is expected for one to generate more insulin to help meet the sugar needs of both mother and fetus. However in certain women, there arises an instance where their bodies cannot produce the additional insulin required during pregnancy. This is what results in gestational diabetes.


Signs of Gestational DiabetesCauses of gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes occurs in close to 7% of pregnant women. This condition is mainly a result of pregnancy related hormones which in a way inhibit the role played by insulin so as at to enable the unborn fetus get the required sugar. These hormonal interferences necessitate that the body has to generate more insulin, which tends to be problematic in some women. Given this, pregnant women need not worry given that many a time gestational diabetes if well managed tends to disappear with the birth of the child. However in some instances children born of women who suffered from this form of diabetes become vulnerable to juvenile diabetes.  It is therefore recommended that pregnant women observe their clinic appointments throughout the pregnancy so that any signs of diabetes can be picked up by the health care provider sooner than later.



One may thus ask, what are the signs of gestational diabetes?


• Frequent urination: Whilst it is common for pregnant women to experience the desire to urinate more than usual, there are cases where this desire supersedes the normal expectation.
• Excessive Thirst
• Increased fatigue caused by one’s inability to absorb required sugar
• Increased instances of bladder and vaginal infections due to high sugar levels  in  the body
• Blurred vision in case of uncontrolled sugar levels and cases of hypertension
• Increased presence of sugar in the urine
• Degrees of discomfit caused by nausea



The above symptoms are not unique to diabetic women, but also to every pregnant woman. This makes it necessary for all pregnant women to be aware of the signs of diabetes.


That said, there is no need for pregnant women to fear as routine glucose tests done as part of antenatal care can help detect high sugar levels in the blood allowing for doctors care.

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