Today, words such as blood glucose, insulin, carb counting, and finger pricks have become a common term for the current generation. All these words have a single issue in common and that is diabetes. Lets us know what is diabetes and its uncommon symptoms in detail…
Now, what is diabetes?
Diabetes is one of the most common health issues ailing people all around the globe. Risk factors for people with diabetes include diabetic neuropathy, kidney disease, heart disease, urinary tract infections and many more. Risk factors are the silent killers of mankind. About 8.5% of adult individuals from the total global population suffer from this condition.
There are a total of 3 variants of diabetes. The most common among these are Type 2 Diabetes, followed by Type 1 Diabetes, and gestational diabetes. Around 95 percent of patients suffering from this issue are diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes.
When it comes to Type 1 Diabetes, it generally appears during childhood or early in adulthood. Most instances of type 1 diabetes are genetic in nature, although it can also be triggered by a virus.
[Also Read What is Type 1 diabetes]
For a quick reference watch the video for early symptoms of diabetes:
What Happens in People With Type 2 Diabetes?
In people with Type2 diabetes, the body doesn’t actually make proper use of insulin. This issue is often termed as insulin resistance. Now, it might take a long time for diabetes to take a toll on your body. Without even showing any symptoms in the initial stage after the blood test.
Patients tend to ignore the subtle hints of diabetes taking over the body slowly. If taken care of in the pre-diabetic stage or before any major issues, diabetes can well be prevented. Untreated prediabetic stage may open the chances of developing type 2 diabetes.
[Also Read What is Type 2 Diabetes: Symptoms and Cure]
Watch This Video to Know The Complications of Diabetes
Now that you have understood what is diabetes. Let’s understand what the uncommon early signs, warning signs and diabetes symptoms are.
Inflamed/Infected Gums:
This is one of the lesser-known or uncommon diabetes symptoms. Also known as Periodontitis/Gum Disease, infected or inflamed gums can be one of the earliest Type 2 diabetes symptoms.
Studies show that the ones suffering from severe cases of gum infection were later diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes. The connection amid your gum and excess sugar levels isn’t actually new. If you have diabetes, you can suffer from infected/inflamed gums and vice versa. Both these issues happen because of the same factor which is the excess sugar level in blood.
Related Reading: Diabetes Gum Disease & Dental Problems – Symptoms & Prevention.
Skin Discoloration:
You might sometimes notice dark-colored discoloration towards the back-side of the neck. On other places as well such as underarms, elbows, knees, etc. This issue is termed as acanthosis nigricans. This is usually the sign of your body’s insulin resistance.
Insulin helps your system regulate the blood glucose levels. This eventually leads to a complete progression of diabetes. In some rare cases, the acanthosis nigricans also comes from issues of ovarian cysts, thyroid disorders, hormonal issues, or even cancer. Different drug supplements like Birth Control Pills or corticosteroids can also lead to darkened skin.
[Also Read Diabetic Dermopathy and How to Save Our Skin From It]
Strange Feet Sensations:
Around 10 – 20 percent of people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes already have a kind of nerve damage associated. During the initial stage of diabetes, this is barely noticeable. You can experience a strange and electric-like tingling in the feet, decreased balance, or decreased sensation.
However, these sensations could stem from things as basic as wearing very high heels. And Standing in a single place for way too long. So, if you are looking forward to prevent diabetes, make sure you mention these sensations to your doctor. Talk to your doctor on priority to avoid increased risk.
Also Read: Diabetic Neuropathy: Cause, Symptoms, Prevention.
Vision or Hearing Loss:
Higher blood sugar level leads to the damage of your retinas. This is because the fluid levels in the eyeballs tend to fluctuate and leave you with an impaired or blurry vision. Now, if your blood vessels do not carry high sugar levels, these issues can be corrected. Also, your eyesight might be restored to normal.
However, you have a higher risk of permanent damage if the disorder remains unmanaged for long. Additionally, high sugar in your blood vessels could also affect the ear based nerve cells. This, in turn, can cause an impaired hearing. Get in touch with your audiologist to ensure that nothing is wrong with your hearing.
Long Naps:
Now, who would have known that taking long naps in the daytime could actually lead to symptoms of Type 2 diabetes. In a study conducted for the Study of Disease Annual Meeting, it was noted that people who opted for longer daytime naps tended to develop diabetes.
Those who exceeded an hour of daytime sleep have higher chances of being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. The chances are 45 percent higher as compared to the ones that napped an hour or less during the day. Now, this doesn’t mean that snoozing in the daytime is the cause of diabetes. However, it can be one of the underlying signs of diabetes.
Know more: How lack of sleep is related to Insulin Resistance?
Researchers have confirmed that people diagnosed with diabetes & insulin resistance can show skin tags as one among the lesser-known symptoms. These skin tags can be small and multiple in numbers. They are Soft flaps hanging from the skin which is brown or clear in color. If you happen to notice these skin tags appearing at random at different parts, make sure you consult with your doctor.
Better Eyesight:
Now, we discussed the loss of eyesight in the point described earlier but better eyesight could also be one among the symptoms. Now, sudden improvement in the eyesight doesn’t necessarily mean that it is good. Diabetes leads to a change in the fluid levels which includes the eyes too.
Irregular blood sugar can make the vision irregular as well. Apart from worsening, your eyesight could get better too with the elevated sugar level in the blood. It can worsen as it gets normal. This is one more reason for you to talk with your physician when checking for a higher risk of diabetes.
[Also Read Best ways to correct and prevent diabetic retinopathy]
Itching:
An overwhelming and reoccurring itchiness in the hands, lower legs, feet, or elbows is another uncommon diabetes symptom. High blood sugar leads to the skin feeling dry and itchy.
Obviously, there are various other reasons for the skin feeling itchy and dry like lack of moisturization on a regular basis. If your itchiness doesn’t reduce with the use of moisturizing lotion. Make sure you get the blood sugar checked to ensure that you aren’t diabetic.
Yeast Infection:
Remember that insulin-producing organs such as the liver tend to deteriorate in functionality with time, If you do not take charge of your diabetes. If you have been recently diagnosed with diabetes, yeast infection could be one of the uncommon symptoms of the same. Yeast tends to thrive on the high glucose level present in the blood.
Now, yeast infection could stem from various other issues but if it is topical medications like Antibiotics do not help. you should contact your gynecologist and make sure everything is okay. The male version of this issue is Jock Itch. Not just that, yeast can be found in areas such as skin folds, below the breasts, between toes and fingers, etc.
Sexual Issues:
It is a known fact that the circulation of blood to your private regions can decide if you have proper sexual intercourse. Diabetes can cause issues with the same. Many men suffering from diabetes can note urological issues such as erectile dysfunction, vaginal dryness, and arousal issues. This is given the fact that high levels of blood sugar can damage the nerves and blood vessels that are required for proper sexual response.
Nerves tend to control the response of the body to sexual stimulation. Thereby signaling the increased inflow of blood to your genitals. Any damage to these areas leads to the initiation of sexual dysfunction. Nerves control your body’s response towards sexual stimuli which signals an increase in the blood flow going to your genitals.
Slow Healing Wound:
If you recently had a cut and the wound hasn’t been healing at a speed that it should. It could be a signal that complications of diabetes have taken over your body.
Type 2 diabetes decreases the total amount of oxygen being carried by the blood. This slows down the process of healing while lowering down the body’s immune system. This deteriorating effect on the body’s immunity might also lead to higher frequencies of illness and cold.
Related Reading: Diabetic Wound Care: Dos and Don’ts
Conclusion:
Taking control over diabetes way before it takes over you is the key to healthy living. If you happen to have any of these symptoms, make sure you opt for Sugar Knocker. This holistic herbal supplement is crafted from herbs that heal you from within while regulating your blood sugar level.
SugarKnocker houses some of the well-known herbs that aid people suffering from the deteriorating consequences of diabetes. Try out this herbal approach and know more about the components of Sugar Knocker.
