Diabetes is a disease in which the body of a healthy adult or child cannot process or produce enough insulin. Insulin is an important chemical which helps the body digest sugars and starches and turn them into energy. The symptoms of diabetes can be subtle.
Nearly 18 million people have diabetes in the United States, though many doctors and health professionals feel that that number is actually inaccurate due to the large number of people who have diabetes but have never been diagnosed. Knowing the symptoms of diabetes can help you decide if you need to see a doctor or not for a full diagnosis and treatment. Here are some of the more common symptoms of diabetes:
Extreme hunger and thirst: Since insulin controls how your body digests food, your body, and especially your kidneys, may start working overtime if it doesn’t have enough insulin. Since your body isn’t getting the full effect of the food you’re digesting, your body may feel as though it needs more. Since your kidneys are working hard and trying to eliminate extra sugar through urination, you’re losing a lot of liquid and may feel as though you have to keep drinking to replenish your body’s water.
Excessive urination: This is sometimes more difficult to notice because different people do urinate at different rates. The increased thirst of diabetes often leads to increased liquid intake which obviously means more urination. Adults who wet the bed at night unexpectedly could actually be suffering from a form of diabetes and not even realize it.
Increased fatigue: There are a number of reasons you may feel unusually fatigued, but the extra work your body is spending just to process sugar may be one of them. Your body also is not able to get as much energy from sugar and starches, so it may feel as though you’re always run down simply because you are!
Diabetes is a treatable but serious disease which can worsen if left undiagnosed and untreated. There are many subtle symptoms of diabetes, and this list is just a small sampling of what you may feel or experience if you have the disease. Talking to a qualified medical professional is always the best course of action if you are not feeling well.
