Type 2 diabetes rates blood glucose levels rise to abnormally high levels in an individual. Common symptoms of Type 2 diabetes include excessive thirst, frequent urination, and fatigue. This is a common ailment. Over 37 million people have diabetes in the United States, with 90–95% of them having Type two.
Type 2 diabetes manifests itself gradually with mild symptoms in the early stages. This is why most people are not even aware that they have it. Therefore, we will explore the importance of early diagnosis and some of its early signs including minor ones in type 2 diabetes. Additionally, we will consider the risk factors for this condition.
Early signs and symptoms
Could you clarify the context or condition you’re asking about for early signs and symptoms? There are many different health issues or situations where early signs and symptoms are important to recognize, such as diseases, mental health conditions, or even specific circumstances like pregnancy.
1. Frequent Hunger
Many individuals affected by diabetes usually find it difficult to obtain sufficient amounts of energy from the food consumed. The process of digestion involves converting food consumed into glucose, a simple sugar that serves as body fuel. However, in diabetic individuals, there is an inadequate transport of such glucose from blood into cells. Consequently, most people living with type 2 diabetes always complain about incessant hunger pangs irrespective of their last meal time.
2. Blurry Vision
Blurry vision can be due to the tiny blood vessels in the eyes being damaged by too much sugar in the blood. This may happen in either one or both of them. Moreover, high levels of glucose may cause swelling of the lens in the eye; this will eventually subside once sugars have been reduced. When a diabetic goes without proper treatment for long periods of time, there is a risk that he/she will develop more irreversible vision loss as a result.
3. Patches of Darker Skin
Patches of dark skin appearing on the neck folds, in the armpit or in the groin are another manifestation of diabetes mellitus. Sometimes they may feel like soft velvet. This condition is called acanthosis nigricans.
4. Itching and Yeast Infections
Infections are caused by excess blood and urine sugar that feeds yeast like Candida. Places where yeast infections commonly occur include warm moist skin areas; therefore, they affect people mostly in the mouth area, female genitalia or armpits. Common symptoms of this disease include itching but some people may also suffer from burning sensations or changes in skin color.
5. Frequent Urination
Frequent urination, especially at the night time, may result from filtering excess sugar out of blood that translates into high blood sugar levels which kidneys work hard to eliminate.
6. Increased Thirst
A lot of water can also be lost through urination having to do with free sugar in the blood; any permanent loss of body fluids makes you feel thirsty all the time. However, when excess glucose has been eliminated through frequent urination, it results into depletion of more water from our bodies.
7. Fatigue
When blood glucose level is not well controlled, type 2 diabetes can contribute to low energy levels and general tiredness in a person. This phenomenon of fatigue in association with diabetes results from reduced capacity of sugar to pass from blood into the body’s cells.
My name is Dt. Abhishek and I am a nutritionist from India. I have done my graduation in Nutrition and Dietetics, I am also a member of Indian Dietetics Association, I try to stay on track and constantly try to learn new things.
