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Did you know over 30 million Americans have Type 2 Diabetes? However, many people don’t even realize they have it, because they have not been educated about warning signs of Type 2 Diabetes. Whether or not you have family history of the disease, learn how to recognize its symptoms during November’s National Diabetes Month.
What is Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 Diabetes is a preventable disease that affects about one in 10 Americans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one quarter of those afflicted remain undiagnosed.
If the warning signs of Type 2 Diabetes are ignored, it can lead to nerve damage, kidney damage, poor blood circulation and even death. However, these complications can be prevented with diagnosis and consistent treatment.
The Signs of Type 2 Diabetes Everyone should Recognize
The early warning signs of Type 2 diabetes are not always obvious. They may develop slowly over time, causing many adults to fail to recognize key symptoms.
1) Frequent Urination
If you find you are going to the bathroom more often lately, there might be a reason. People with Type 2 Diabetes typically have excess glucose in their blood, which the kidneys flush out and into the urine. Then, urine production increases, causing more frequent trips to the bathroom.
2) Increased Thirst or Dry Mouth
High blood glucose levels can cause other related problems, too. Frequent urination can lead to dehydration, because the body has lost large amounts of fluids. As a result, it’s common to experience dry mouth and increased thirst, two signs of Type 2 Diabetes.
3) Unexpected Weight Loss
Unexpected weight loss is another cause for concern. This may occur, because your cells are not receiving enough glucose. Or, frequent urination could be contributing to the weight loss, because you are excreting more calories and water.
4) Persistent Hunger
If you find yourself frequently hungry, you may have bigger problems than an expanding waistline. You may have developed insulin resistance, which means that your body is not using insulin properly in order to help glucose enter your cells. To compensate, your pancreas will increase its insulin production, which sends messages to the brain that you are hungry.
5) Foot Pain and Numbness
High blood sugar over a prolonged period of time can cause diabetic neuropathy, which can damage nerves throughout the body. Numbness, tingling or pain in the extremities will often follow. These symptoms are most common in people who have had the disease for 25 years or more.
6) Frequent Infections and Feminine Health Issues
Frequent infections are another common sign of the disease. Your elevated blood sugar levels give yeast and bacteria the opportunity to multiply more quickly, increasing your risk of developing problems, such as feminine health issues and foot infections.
7) Blurred Vision
Short-term blurred vision is another one of the early warning signs of Type 2 Diabetes. It often occurs when there are rapid changes in blood sugar, either from low to high or from high to low.
How to Know if you have Type 2 Diabetes
You can find out if you have Type 2 Diabetes by asking your physician for a simple blood test. If you test positive, the disease can be managed successfully by maintaining a healthy weight, following a recommended diet, exercising regularly and sleeping sufficiently.
Advantage Care Health Centers offers routine blood tests, annual physical exams and other preventive health services at our two locations in Brookville and Freeport. Schedule an appointment during National Diabetes Month to learn more.
