By Beverleigh H Piepers
Type 2 diabetes is becoming more and more of a problem in our society. With the seriousness of this condition it is important to know what you are looking for to be able to make an accurate diagnosis. Since it generally takes years for the symptoms to be accurately identified it is imperative that individuals stay informed.
Type 2 diabetes is characterized by two factors; abnormally high blood sugar levels, either before breakfast or after eating, and abnormally high levels of insulin. In pre-diabetes, blood sugar or insulin levels, or both, have begun to creep up.
When looking over a list of early warning signs some of them can be easily confused with other conditions, which is why many people who are in the beginning stages of the disease are not necessarily in denial, but in confusion. They take their symptoms and inaccurately apply them to something else. Since this disease can progress into more serious conditions if left untreated, it puts even more emphasis on correctly spotting what these signs mean.
However, denial does play a part in this, too. We do not like to accept that something may be wrong with our health, but in this case Type 2 diabetes is a condition that not only will refuse to go away but also will become progressively worse over time. This will lead to further complications than if the diagnosis were determined early. In fact, early diagnosis for example in the pre-diabetic stage, gives you the easiest and most likely outcome of reversing the disease.
Some of the early symptoms include fatigue and headaches, which most people will typically place in the same category, since not getting enough restful sleep can result in headaches and feeling run down. Increased thirst and dry mouth can also be possibly associated with an increase in salt intake, a hot, dry time of the year or feeling as if the individual is not consuming enough water.
Even something as telltale as blurred vision can be considered a natural aspect of aging if the sufferer is getting into middle age. This is typically when the eyes start requiring the assistance of glasses, anyway.
But the dangerous signs that should really be focused on more are:
* frequent urination
* unexplained weight loss, and
* increased hunger, especially when it occurs right after eating.
Putting an increased feeling of hunger with weight loss is a definite red flag, especially since the body's metabolism starts slowing down as we age.
But the list can continue from there. Numbness and a tingling feeling in the hands and feet, itching of the skin around the groin area, and wounds and cuts that are slow to heal are also signs. Symptoms can even be gender specific. Women can experience frequent yeast infections while men can be hit with impotency.
This list is even more important to keep in mind if there is a history of the disease in your family. When a parent develops the disease it puts their children at an increased risk also. If both parents develop it, the likelihood increases even further.
Knowing the early signs of Type 2 diabetes is important not just from a diagnosis standpoint, but to prevent further damage to the body form residual complications. If any of these symptoms start to appear, don't hesitate to check with your doctor immediately.
Type 2 diabetes is becoming more and more of a problem in our society. With the seriousness of this condition it is important to know what you are looking for to be able to make an accurate diagnosis. Since it generally takes years for the symptoms to be accurately identified it is imperative that individuals stay informed.
Type 2 diabetes is characterized by two factors; abnormally high blood sugar levels, either before breakfast or after eating, and abnormally high levels of insulin. In pre-diabetes, blood sugar or insulin levels, or both, have begun to creep up.
When looking over a list of early warning signs some of them can be easily confused with other conditions, which is why many people who are in the beginning stages of the disease are not necessarily in denial, but in confusion. They take their symptoms and inaccurately apply them to something else. Since this disease can progress into more serious conditions if left untreated, it puts even more emphasis on correctly spotting what these signs mean.
However, denial does play a part in this, too. We do not like to accept that something may be wrong with our health, but in this case Type 2 diabetes is a condition that not only will refuse to go away but also will become progressively worse over time. This will lead to further complications than if the diagnosis were determined early. In fact, early diagnosis for example in the pre-diabetic stage, gives you the easiest and most likely outcome of reversing the disease.
Some of the early symptoms include fatigue and headaches, which most people will typically place in the same category, since not getting enough restful sleep can result in headaches and feeling run down. Increased thirst and dry mouth can also be possibly associated with an increase in salt intake, a hot, dry time of the year or feeling as if the individual is not consuming enough water.
Even something as telltale as blurred vision can be considered a natural aspect of aging if the sufferer is getting into middle age. This is typically when the eyes start requiring the assistance of glasses, anyway.
But the dangerous signs that should really be focused on more are:
* frequent urination
* unexplained weight loss, and
* increased hunger, especially when it occurs right after eating.
Putting an increased feeling of hunger with weight loss is a definite red flag, especially since the body's metabolism starts slowing down as we age.
But the list can continue from there. Numbness and a tingling feeling in the hands and feet, itching of the skin around the groin area, and wounds and cuts that are slow to heal are also signs. Symptoms can even be gender specific. Women can experience frequent yeast infections while men can be hit with impotency.
This list is even more important to keep in mind if there is a history of the disease in your family. When a parent develops the disease it puts their children at an increased risk also. If both parents develop it, the likelihood increases even further.
Knowing the early signs of Type 2 diabetes is important not just from a diagnosis standpoint, but to prevent further damage to the body form residual complications. If any of these symptoms start to appear, don't hesitate to check with your doctor immediately.
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