The Importance Of Early Diagnosis
Recognizing the early indications of type 2 diabetes can help a person obtain a diagnosis and treatment more quickly. Getting the appropriate therapy, changing oneâs lifestyle, and regulating blood sugar levels may all greatly improve a personâs health and quality of life while lowering the chance of problems.
Consistently high blood sugar levels, if left untreated, can lead to significant and possibly fatal consequences, such as:
Cardiovascular disease
Neuropathy is a term used to describe nerve injury.
Problems with the feet
Kidney disease, which might result in the need for dialysis
Eye illness or vision loss
Sexual dysfunction in both men and women
Untreated diabetes can also develop in non-ketogenic hyperglycemic syndrome , which is characterized by a significant and sustained rise in blood sugar levels. HHNS is generally caused by illness or infection and may necessitate hospitalization. This unexpected consequence primarily affects elderly individuals.
Controlling blood sugar levels is essential to avoiding some of these problems. The longer your blood sugar levels are out of control, the more likely you are to develop additional health issues.
/7risk Factors Of Prediabetes
Dr Mishra shares that is still not known what causes pre-diabetes. He further elaborated, “What is evident is that patients with pre-diabetes can no longer adequately process sugar . As a result, instead of providing energy to the cells that make up muscles and other tissues, sugar builds up in the blood. The food we eat provides the majority of the glucose in our bodies. Sugar enters the bloodstream as food is metabolised. Insulin is required to transport sugar from the bloodstream to the body’s cells.”
Several factors may put a person at risk of developing prediabetes, but as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention some major ones are:
Overweight or obesity
Risk Factors For Type 2 Diabetes
Anyone can develop type 2 diabetes, but certain factors can increase a persons risk. These risk factors include:
- be 45 years or older
- living a sedentary lifestyle
- having a family history of diabetes
- having polycystic ovary syndrome
- have a medical history of gestational diabetes, heart disease, or stroke
- have prediabetes
- be of African American, Alaska Native, Hispanic / Latino, American Indian, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander descent
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Regular Testing Can Put You In The Know
Often what happens is people minimize the symptoms or rationalize them and they get worse until they become severe enough that they have to see someone, Dr. Pantalone says. They have excessive weight loss or are really tired of peeing all night.
Because symptoms of diabetes are often subtle or nonexistent, especially around the onset, its important to see your doctor regularly for a checkup and testing. This is particularly vital if you are overweight or have risk factors if diabetes runs in your family, for instance.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening for type 2 diabetes if you are between the ages of 40 and 70. If results are normal, you should repeat the testing every three years. If you have a risk factor, the task force recommends beginning screening at a younger age and testing more frequently.
/7here Are Some Common Signs Of Prediabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a lifelong chronic condition that can give way to secondary diseases if left unmanaged. According to the Union Health Ministry, 74.2 million diabetes patients were living with this condition in India in 2021, and the number is expected to touch 124.8 million by 2045. The burden of the condition is higher in the rural areas as compared to the urban population due to lower income, obesity, lack of education and access to a proper health care system. Once diagnosed with the condition, the only way to live a healthy life is by managing your blood sugar level as diabetes cannot be cured. One can greatly delay the progression of diabetes by recognising the signs of prediabetes.
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The Early Warning Signs Of Type 2 Diabetes
The following symptoms are some of the most common warning signs of Type 2 Diabetes. Make an appointment with your GP if you are experiencing any of these indicators with any frequency.
1. Thirst An excessive or unquenchable thirst is one of the first signs that you may have developed type 2 diabetes as too much sugar in your blood can leave your body dehydrated.
2. Increased hunger In type 2 diabetes, the body is not able to properly process insulin and cannot enter the cells so the body cant convert food into energy, so the body increases feelings of hunger in an effort to deliver energy to the cells so the body can function properly.
3. Dry mouth While there are other causes, a dry mouth is a relatively common symptom for people with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes due mostly to the effects of dehydration. Studies have also shown that people with diabetes may produce less saliva.
4. Fatigue Lethargy and fatigueare common symptoms ofdiabetes, with some research indicating that as many as 61 percent of people diagnosedwith type 2 diabetesreporting symptoms offatigue.
5. Frequent urination When the kidneys are forced to work overtime to filter and absorb an excess of glucose it leads to an increase in urine production as well as frequency and urgency.
9. Yeast infections Yeast feeds on glucose. When blood sugar levels spike high levels, it can create the perfect conditions for yeast infections to thrive.
Prevention Of Type 2 Diabetes In Children
A healthy diet and regular exercise may help prevent type 2 diabetes mellitus in children .
Low- calorie, and low-fat foods, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, are good food choices. Physical activities, such as sports training and dance, can be useful. If all the family members follow a healthy lifestyle, it can encourage the child to observe healthy eating habits and exercise regularly.
Living with diabetes can be challenging, but the right amount of support and encouragement can make the process easier. Some children may feel stressed due to the condition and its management. Stay alert to any signs, such as depression, inadequate sleep, and poor academic performance. Consult your doctor or psychologist for a prompt resolution.
Joining local or online diabetic support groups can also help the child and the family manage the condition smoothly.
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Type 2 Diabetes In Women Early Symptoms And Signs
Blog Type 2 Diabetes in Women Early Symptoms and Signs
Fact Checked By
Theres no denying that people today are more aware about the risk of diabetes, thanks to some powerful awareness campaigns in recent years. What most of us dont realize however, is that the gender bias in medicine doesnt just affect women doctors, but it also affects women patients. Reports keep emerging about biases in the diagnosis and treatment of lifestyle diseases like heart disease for a variety of reasons.
One of them is the subtle difference in how symptoms manifest in women. If you are at risk of diabetes, it is important that you recognize all of the early warning signs of type-2 diabetes, especially those that are specific to women. Its also equally important to visit with your medical professionals about any symptoms or signs.
Healthline reports Between 1971 and 2000, the death rate for men with diabetes fell, according to a study in Annals of Internal Medicine.
This decrease reflects advances in diabetes treatment. But the study also indicates the death rate for women with diabetes didnt improve.
In addition, the difference in death rates between women who had diabetes and those who didnt more than doubled. The death rate was higher among women, but there has been a shift in sex distribution of type 2 diabetes showing higher rates in men. The findings emphasize how diabetes affects women and men differently.
/10unexpected Unusual Weight Loss
With high blood sugar levels which make the body insulin resistant, weight management can turn into a daunting issue. While a lot of diabetics find it strugglesome to lose weight and keep BMI levels under check, a warning sign could be losing weight drastically, without trying.
While unexpected weight loss gain be a symptom related to multiple health threats, when your blood sugar levels are particularly imbalanced, the extra glucose levels can reach the kidneys and get passed off as urine, which may make you lose weight easily, even if you are trying to not lose weight, or think you are eating more than usual. There have also been studies which have attested that those who experience weight loss as a symptom are more likely to experience complications like diabetic retinopathy or nephropathy than others.
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/10be On The Lookout For These Early Signs Of Type
Diabetes, primarily, is a disease characterised by disrupted blood sugar levels and insulin resistance, which starts off in the pancreas but the effects can be felt through all parts of the body. Just like it’s a common misconception that diabetes is caused by having too much sugar , there are, in fact, quite a few warning signs that the body tries to alert you, if your blood sugar levels start to go for a toss.
It’s not just important to acknowledge these early symptoms, but also make sure that you get the proper care, remedial help to manage and treat diabetes in time.
While some of the signs like feeling too parched, or frequent hunger pangs are common, take a look at some of these underlying, less-common signs to spot signs of high blood sugar levels:
Is There A Test To Diagnose Type 1 And Type 2 Diabetes
Your doctor or other healthcare provider will order urine and blood tests find out if you have diabetes. There are several different types of blood tests used to diagnose diabetes.
- Fasting blood sugar test: After fasting for 12-hours a glucose level is checked in your blood. If it is high, it is indicative of diabetes.
- Hemoglobin A1C test: This test tells your doctor how your average blood glucose level has been over the past 2-3 months.
- Normal ranges for HbA1c are between 4% and 5.6%.
- HbA1c levels that range from 5.7% to 6.4% indicates increased risk of diabetes.
- HbA1c levels higher than 6.5% indicate diabetes, while higher percentages indicate either worsening diabetic disease or poor response to diabetic treatments.
- Random blood sugar test: This is a test of your blood sugar at the moment your blood is drawn, but this number can vary greatly based on when you last ate.
- Oral glucose tolerance test: This test is rarely used in men, but it measures your bodys response to a large amount of glucose.
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Strange Sensations In Your Feet
About 10% to 20% of people who are diagnosed with diabetes already have some nerve damage related to the disease. In the early stages, this may be barely noticeable, says Dr. Tamler: You may feel a strange, electric tingling in your feet, or have decreased sensation or decreased balance.
Of course, these strange sensations could be caused by something as simple as wearing high heels or standing in one place for too long. But they could also be caused by other serious conditionslike multiple sclerosisso its important to mention them to your doctor.
What Warning Signs And Symptoms Of Diabetes Are The Same In Men And Women
There are diabetes warning signs and symptoms that both women and men have in common, for example:
- Excessive thirst and hunger
Men who have type 2 diabetes are twice as likely to have low testosterone than men who do not have diabetes. Because of the low levels of the hormone testosterone, men with diabetes can have unhealthy symptoms that are not seen in women with diabetes.
Low testosterone can cause , depression, lack of energy, and reduced muscle mass. It can also cause male-specific sexual problems and urological problems.
Erectile dysfunction , or inability to get or maintain an erection, is a common symptom of diabetes in men. Diabetic men experience erectile dysfunction at earlier ages than men who do not have diabetes.
Another diabetes-related sexual dysfunction symptom in men is reduced amounts of ejaculation, or retrograde ejaculation. Retrograde ejaculation is a condition in which the semen goes into the bladder, rather than out of the body through the urethra. Diabetes and damage to the blood vessels causes nerve damage to the muscles that control the bladder and urethra, which results in this problem.
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Five First Signs Of Diabetes You Should Know Now
If youre worried you might be experiencing diabetes, your best option is to look for problems like these:
/10frequent Gum Bleeding Dry Mouth
Our oral health and hygiene has a direct link with our blood sugar levels, believe it or not. In fact, experts often point out that having a ‘dry mouth’, along with feeling parched too often or thirsty can be a commonly missed sign of rising blood sugar levels.
Dry mouth is medically also referred to as xerostomia, and accompanies diabetes. While there exists no exact cause to experiencing this symptom , any signs of poor or worsening oral hygiene, including dry lips, difficulty chewing food, frequent sores or cuts in the tongue, dryness in the mouth could be signs that you should book yourself a blood sugar test.
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What Is The Difference Between Type 1 And Type 2 Diabetes
In type 1 diabetes, people produce little or no insulin, as the insulin-producing cells have been destroyed by the bodys immune system. Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease.
In type 2 diabetes, the body may make enough insulin early in the disease, but doesnt respond to it effectively. As type 2 diabetes progresses, the pancreas gradually loses the ability to produce enough insulin. Type 2 diabetes is associated with inherited factors and lifestyle risk factors such as being overweight or obese, poor diet, and insufficient physical activity.
Type 2 Diabetes Is Creeping Up
The old age sugar creeps into life and does not appear suddenly. Therefore, those affected often only find out that they are affected during a routine examination.
Often this form of diabetes is diagnosed only because the patient seeks medical treatment for a symptom.
The symptoms of type 2 diabetes are fundamentally similar to those of type 1, but are much milder and rarely recognized or felt.
Only when the diabetes is quite advanced do the symptoms appear massive. It is therefore worthwhile to listen to yourself if you belong to a risk group and to recognize symptoms as such in good time:
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Frequent Utis Or Yeast Infections
As mentioned above, having too high of blood glucose can cause your urine to have glucose in it when normally glucose is not found in urine. The presence of glucose in the urinary tract and genital area may lead to infections, such as urinary tract infections or yeast infections.
Researchers also theorize that both poor circulation and immune response, common in people with diabetes , may also play a role in the increased risk of yeast and urinary tract infections.
These infections are more common in women but can occur in men as well. If you are a woman and find yourself with recurrent UTIs or yeast infections, or are a man who has been diagnosed with one, ask your healthcare provider if diabetes might be to blame.
Type 2 Diabetes In Older Adults
Your risk of type 2 diabetes goes up as you age because your body can become resistant to insulin and your pancreas might not work as well as it used to.
Diabetes is more likely to cause complications in people 65 and older, especially heart attacks, eye problems, loss of a leg , and kidney disease.
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Inflamed Or Infected Gums
Periodontitisalso known as gum diseasemay be an early sign of type 2 diabetes, according to new research published in the journal BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care. The study found that people with gum disease, especially those with severe cases, had higher rates of diabetes and pre-diabetes than those without.
The connection between gum disease and diabetes isnt new, says Dr. Tamler, and it appears to go both ways: Having either condition seems to increase the risk of developing the other. Inflammation caused by gum disease eggs on the same factors that are responsible for high blood sugar that cause diabetes, he says.
Foot Pain And Numbness Can Be Signs Of Diabetic Neuropathy
Over time, a prolonged exposure to high blood sugar level can damage the nerves throughout the body, called diabetic neuropathy. Some people may not have any symptoms of the damage, while others may notice numbness, tingling, or pain in the extremities.
Diabetic neuropathy usually starts in the feet and then it progresses upward, says Ovalle. Although most common in people who have had type 2 diabetes for 25 years or more, it can occur in people who have prediabetes as well. When it affects the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, its termed peripheral neuropathy.
Numbness in the feet can increase their risk of infection: If you don’t feel a cut or scrape on your foot, you might not notice or properly treat it, he says.
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