Is Shaking A Sign Of Diabetes

You Feel Like You Might Pass Out

If you suddenly feel weak, shaky, or lightheadedor if you even faintyou could be experiencing hypoglycemia. A headache that comes on quickly, weakness or tremor in your arms or legs, and a slight trembling of your body are also signs that your blood sugar is too low. To get back to a more normal sugar level, eat something with sugar, such as pure glucose in the form of tablets or gel, for example. If its not urgent , go to the carbohydrates.

You Feel Anxious And Unsettled

Extremely low blood sugar can cause anxiety because the brain isnt getting enough fuel and you may fear what happens next. Johnson knows its time to check his glucose when these sensations start to creep up. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was age 5, hes used to the anxiety bubbling up, but isnt always successful at keeping the feelings at bay. I work hard to manage my blood sugars, but diabetes is complicated and the tools we have are no match for a fully functioning endocrine system that can regulate things naturally, he says.

How To Treat Someone Who’s Having A Seizure Or Fit

Follow these steps if someone has a seizure or fit caused by a low blood sugar level:

Tell your diabetes care team if you ever have a severe hypo that caused you to have a seizure or fit.

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When To See A Healthcare Provider

Generally speaking, a single episode of reactive hypoglycemia is not a cause for alarm unless the symptoms are severe, such as passing out or experiencing a seizure. Severe symptoms are most likely to occur if a person is dehydrated, which in itself may require treatment.

Recurrent episodes should never be overlooked. While it is possible that dietary habits are contributing to the episodes, the bigger concern is that a recurrent drop in blood sugar may be a sign of an undiagnosed medical condition, such as Addison’s disease or pancreatitis.

Symptoms Of Essential Tremor

The symptoms of essential tremor include:

• affects the voluntary muscles
• head nodding, if the head is affected
• shaky, quivering voice, if the larynx is affected
• a small, rapid tremor
• tremor that is exacerbated by activity or movement
• tremor that eases when the body part is at rest
• tremor that stops when the person is asleep
• worsening with age
• hands, head and voice are most commonly affected
• other body parts may become affected over time, including the arms and eyelids .

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Symptoms Of Type 2 Diabetes

These tend to show up after your glucose has been high for a long time.

• Yeast infections. Both men and women with diabetes can get these. Yeast feeds on glucose, so having plenty around makes it thrive. Infections can grow in any warm, moist fold of skin, including:
• Between fingers and toes
• In or around sex organs

What Are The Symptoms Of Hyperglycemia

Its especially important to know the early signs of hyperglycemia if you have type 1 diabetes. If hyperglycemia is left untreated in people with type 1 diabetes, it can develop into ketoacidosis, where ketones, which are toxic acids, build up in the blood. This condition is an emergency situation that can lead to coma or death.

Early symptoms of hyperglycemia include:

• High blood sugar.

• Unusual fruity smell on the breath.
• Deep labored breathing or hyperventilation.
• Rapid heartbeat.

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What Causes Hyperglycemia In People With Diabetes

• The dose of insulin or oral diabetes medication that you are taking is not the most helpful dose for your needs.
• Your body isnt using your natural insulin effectively .
• The amount of carbohydrates you are eating or drinking is not balanced with the amount of insulin your body is able to make or the amount of insulin you inject.
• You are less active than usual.
• Physical stress is affecting you.
• Emotional stress is affecting you.
• You are taking steroids for another condition.
• The dawn phenomenon is affecting you.

Other possible causes

• Pancreatic diseases such as pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer and cystic fibrosis.
• Certain medications .
• Gestational diabetes, which happens in 4% of pregnancies, and is due to decreased insulin sensitivity.
• Surgery or trauma.

Diabetes: 12 Warning Signs That Appear On Your Skin

Diabetes can affect many parts of your body, including your skin. When diabetes affects the skin, its often a sign that your blood sugar levels are too high. This could mean that:

• You have undiagnosed diabetes, or pre-diabetes

• Your treatment for diabetes needs to be adjusted

If you notice any of the following warning signs on your skin, its time to talk with your doctor.

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Diabetes And Excessive Sweating: Causes And Treatment Options

How often do you find yourself sweating excessively without any clear reason?

Excessive sweating as a person with diabetes isnt a common topic of discussion, but youre definitely not the only one dealing with it.

There are actually a number of reasons diabetes may be causing that extra sweating.

In this article, well discuss different aspects of diabetes that can lead to excessive sweating and what you can do about it.

Early Signs And Symptoms Of Diabetes

1. Frequent urination

When your blood sugar is high, your kidneys expel the excess blood sugar, causing you to urinate more frequently. One of the early warning signs of diabetes is frequent urination that is urgent enough to wake you up to go to the bathroom during sleep.

2. Increased thirst

While your kidneys are working overtime and youre urinating more frequently, valuable fluids will be pulled from your tissues. Frequent urination will make you feel constantly thirsty.

3. Fatigue

When your blood sugar is high, your body works hard to get rid of the excess sugar. Not only does this process take a toll on your body, but it also alters the way that your body uses glucose for energy. Excessively high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, has fatiguing effects among other symptoms. Additionally, the dehydration that accompanies more frequent urination is a common cause of fatigue in diabetics.

4. Blurred vision

High blood sugar can cause damage to the small blood vessels of the eye, resulting in a swollen lens that can cause blurred vision. As blood sugar levels rise and lower, your vision may return to normal or worsen, respectively.

5. Increased hunger

When you have high blood sugar, your body is actively looking to get rid of it. Because your body expels so much of the glucose you’re getting from your food, you may have increased feelings of hunger.

6. Unexplained weight loss

7. Slow healing cuts and wounds

8. Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet

9. Skin discoloration

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Learn More About Blood Glucose Management> >

When a persons blood glucose level begins to drop, his body starts a series of reactions intended to raise its blood glucose level. Hormones are produced that cause the release of stored glucose from the liver. These hormones also produce some of the symptoms typically associated with hypoglycemia, such as trembling. If the body cannot reverse the low blood glucose on its own and the person does not recognize the symptoms of low blood glucose and does not consume some carbohydrate, the blood glucose level will drop further. If it goes low enough, a person may become confused or even pass out.

Health-care providers often recommend treating for hypoglycemia if blood glucose is below 70 mg/dl. Treatment generally involves consuming 15 grams of carbohydrate , waiting about 15 minutes, then checking your blood glucose level with your meter to see if it has risen to a safe level. Some experts also recommend checking blood glucose levels again an hour after the last treatment to see whether additional food is necessary.

A Low Blood Sugar Level Without Diabetes

A low blood sugar level is uncommon in people who do not have diabetes.

Possible causes include:

• a gastric bypass
• other medical conditions, such as problems with your hormone levels, pancreas, liver, kidneys, adrenal glands or heart
• some medicines, including quinine

See a GP if you think you keep getting symptoms of a low blood sugar level. They can arrange some simple tests to check if your blood sugar level is low and try to find out what’s causing it.

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Emergency Symptoms Of Type 2 Diabetes

High blood sugar causes long-term damage to the body. However, low blood sugar, called hypoglycemia, can be a medical emergency. Hypoglycemia occurs when there are dangerously low levels of blood sugar. For people with type 2 diabetes, only those who are on medications that increase the bodys insulin levels are at risk for low blood sugar.

Symptoms of hypoglycemia include:

What Is Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a disease of the pancreas, a small organ located near the stomach. The pancreas has two different types of cells that have very different functions. One group of cells produces the enzymes necessary for proper digestion. The other group, called beta cells, produces the hormone insulin, which regulates the level of glucose in the bloodstream and controls the delivery of glucose to the tissues of the body. In simple terms, diabetes mellitus is caused by the failure of the pancreas to regulate blood sugar.

The clinical signs of diabetes mellitus are related to elevated concentrations of blood glucose and the inability of the body to use glucose as an energy source.

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How Is Diabetes Mellitus Treated In Cats

Diabetes mellitus is a treatable condition. Although long-term treatment requires commitment and dedication, it can be rewarding to manage this condition successfully in a beloved cat.

Initial steps in treating a diabetic cat include removing potential predisposing causes for the diabetes. For example, some medications such as corticosteroids predispose cats to develop diabetes, and withdrawal of these drugs may lead to resolution of the condition. Obesity is a risk factor for diabetes in cats, so weight normalization may actually lead to resolution of diabetes in some cats.

“All cats with diabetes mellitus benefit from being fed a well-balanced diet.”

All cats with diabetes mellitus benefit from being fed a well-balanced diet, and your veterinarian is the best source for guidance about which nutrient profile will best benefit your cat. Many cats with diabetes mellitus benefit from a diet that is high in protein and relatively low in carbohydrates because a relatively low carbohydrate diet decreases the amount of glucose absorbed from the intestinal tract and lowers the requirement for insulin. Unfortunately, while nutrition is a critical element of diabetes management success in cats, it is generally not as easy as making a simple nutritional choice.

When To See A Dermatologist

Diabetes can cause many other skin problems. Most skin problems are harmless, but even a minor one can become serious in people who have diabetes. A board-certified dermatologist can recognize skin problems due to diabetes and help you manage them.

Are all dermatologists board certified?

No. See what it takes to become board certified.

ImagesImage 1: Image Courtesy of Clark C. Otley, MD. All Rights Reserved

Images 3, 7, 8, 9: Used with permission of the American Academy of Dermatology National Library of Dermatologic Teaching Slides.

Image 2 from DermNetNZ

Some images used with permission of Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

Images 5, 6 and 10: Getty Images

ReferencesCohen Sabban, EN. Cutaneous manifestations of diabetes mellitus from A to Z. Focus session presented at: 74th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology March 4-8, 2016 Washington D.C.

Duff M, Demidova O, et al. Cutaneous manifestations of diabetes mellitus. Clinical Diabetes. 2015 33:40-8.

Kalus AA, Chien AJ, et al. Diabetes mellitus and other endocrine disorders. In: Wolff K, Goldsmith LA, et al. Fitzpatricks Dermatology in General Medicine . McGraw Hill Medical, New York, 2008:1461-70.

McKinley-Grant L, Warnick M, et al. Cutaneous manifestations of systemic disease. In: Kelly AP and Taylor S. Dermatology for Skin of Color. . The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. China, 2009:481-4.

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What Are Trembling Hands A Sign Of

Essential tremor is a nervous system disorder that causes involuntary and rhythmic shaking. It can affect almost any part of your body, but the trembling occurs most often in your hands especially when you do simple tasks, such as drinking from a glass or tying shoelaces.

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You Feel Confused And Out Of Sorts

With hypoglycemia, all of your cells hunger for fuel, including your brain, says Kathleen Wyne, M.D., Ph.D, director of the Ohio State University Adult Type 1 Diabetes Program in Columbus. As a result, you may feel spacey and confused, and you may have trouble communicating. With diabetes, ask friends and family to generally stay alert and ask, Hey, are you struggling to talk right now? advises Janet G. Zappe, R.N., a clinical program manager for the Diabetes Research Center at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

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Are Hand Tremors Serious

Tremor is most common among middle-aged and older adults, although it can occur at any age. The disorder generally affects men and women equally. Tremor is not life threatening. However, it can be embarrassing and even disabling, making it difficult or even impossible to perform work and daily life tasks.

Knowing Your High And Low Blood Sugar Symptoms Allows You To Test

Once you understand symptoms of high and low blood sugar, it is possible to test quickly and avoid serious problems.

Keeping to a clear target range is one of the key goals of diabetes management, and knowing when you have the symptoms of high or low blood sugar levels allows you to test your blood sugar and make a correction.

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Yellow Reddish Or Brown Patches On Your Skin

Necrobiosis Lipoidica

This skin condition often begins as small raised solid bumps that look like pimples. As it progresses, these bumps turn into patches of swollen and hard skin. The patches can be yellow, reddish, or brown.

You may also notice:

• The surrounding skin has a shiny porcelain-like appearance
• You can see blood vessels
• The skin is itchy and painful
• The skin disease goes through cycles where it is active, inactive, and then active again

necrobiosis lipodica.

Take action

• Get tested for diabetes, if you have not been diagnosed.
• Work with your doctor to better control your diabetes.
• See a dermatologist about your skin. Necorbiosis lipodica is harmless, but it can lead to complications.

Preventing Low Blood Sugar

Eating regular meals and snacks is the best way to keep blood sugar on an even keel. Here are some guidelines for those who have had recurring bouts of hypoglycemia:

• Try not to skip or delay meals. Dont go more than three hours without eating something.

• Avoid drinking alcohol on an empty stomach. Alcohol can cause blood sugar to drop.

• Have a light snack before exercising. Good choices are crackers and peanut butter, yogurt and fruit, half a turkey sandwich, or a bowl of whole grain cereal with milk. A snack at bedtime can help keep blood sugar levels normal during the night.

• If you have diabetes, you need to match your carbohydrate intake to your diabetes medications to avoid low blood sugar. A dietitian or diabetes educator can help you put together an eating plan. If you take mealtime insulin like insulin aspart , insulin lispro , or insulin glulisine , make sure you eat the right amount of carbohydrates at your meal to match your insulin dosage. Skipping meals or not eating enough carbohydrates can cause your blood sugar level to dip significantly.

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Preventing A Low Blood Sugar Level

If you have diabetes, you can reduce your chance of getting a low blood sugar level if you:

• Check your blood sugar level regularly and be aware of the symptoms of a low blood sugar level so you can treat it quickly.
• Use a continuous glucose monitor or flash monitor to see how your blood sugar levels are changing. Ask your diabetes care team about getting a monitor if you do not already have one.
• Always carry a sugary snack or drink with you, such as glucose tablets, a carton of fruit juice or some sweets. If you have a glucagon injection kit, always keep it with you.
• Do not skip meals.
• Be careful when drinking alcohol. Do not drink large amounts, check your blood sugar level regularly, and eat a carbohydrate snack afterwards.
• Be careful when exercising eating a carbohydrate snack before exercise can help to reduce the risk of a hypo. If you take some types of diabetes medicine, your doctor may recommend you take a lower dose before or after doing intense exercise.
• Have a carbohydrate snack, such as toast, if your blood sugar level drops too low while you’re asleep .

If you keep getting a low blood sugar level, talk to your diabetes care team about things you can do to help prevent it.