12 Diabetes symptoms and features

Many people know too late that they have diabetes mellitus (DM). Even though the sooner you detect the symptoms and characteristics of this disease, the better chance you will avoid the dangerous complications of diabetes.

Even so, not a few people still do not really understand the symptoms of diabetes so that this disease is often overlooked and not detected from the start. In fact, what are the symptoms of diabetes that generally occur?

Check out the various characteristics of diabetes, also known as diabetes, below.

The characteristics and symptoms of diabetes that must be watched out for

Diabetes is a common disease in Indonesia. According to the Ministry of Health's Basic Health Research (Riskesdas) report, diabetes is mostly experienced by people aged 15 years and over. However, only 30% show symptoms of diabetes and are officially diagnosed.

Most people with diabetes (the name for diabetics), especially type 2 diabetes, often don't feel the first symptoms. They only found out about their condition after doing blood sugar checks accidentally.

This is indeed common because the early symptoms of type 2 diabetes develop slowly, unlike type 1 diabetes, which symptoms appear quickly.

However, if you notice the symptoms earlier, regardless of the type of diabetes you have, your chances of getting the right treatment will be faster. That way, you can minimize the risk of serious complications.

Here are some signs of diabetes that you need to be aware of:

1. Frequent urination

Have you been going back and forth to the bathroom lately to urinate? If so, it's a good idea to be vigilant. The reason is, frequent urination is one of the characteristics of diabetes. This symptom is a stronger sign of diabetes if it occurs at night, even making you often wake up in the middle of the night to go to the toilet.

In the medical world, this characteristic of diabetes is called polyuria. Diabetics tend to urinate frequently because blood sugar levels are too high. Ideally, the blood sugar will be filtered by the kidneys and reabsorbed into the blood.

However, because it is too high, the kidneys cannot absorb all the sugar in the body. This makes the kidneys work hard to filter and remove excess blood sugar through urine.

As a result, the urine that is produced is thicker so that the kidneys will automatically take more fluids from the body to thin it out.

Well, this is when your body sends thirst signals to the brain. That way, you will drink more. However, because you drink a lot, your body will try to get rid of the excess fluid by making you urinate more often.

2. Easily thirsty

Apart from frequent urination, a typical symptom of diabetes is easy thirst (polydipsia). Thirst as a characteristic of diabetes is different from normal thirst because it doesn't go away even though you've been drinking. How come?

This actually has something to do with the symptoms of frequent urination. You always feel thirsty because your body needs more fluid intake to replace water wasted through urine.

When you have diabetes, glucose builds up in the blood. This of course will make the kidneys work extra hard to filter and absorb excess sugar before it is finally excreted through urine. One of the efforts made by the kidneys is to absorb body fluids to absorb excess sugar.

As a result, the kidneys will produce more urine than usual. This is what makes diabetics easier to feel thirsty because a lot of body fluids are lost.

3. Get hungry quickly

Getting hungry is the most common, but often underestimated, feature of diabetes. Usually this happens when you have recently had a heavy meal.

In the body, food is converted into glucose. Glucose will then be used as a source of energy for every cell, tissue and organ of your body. Well, the hormone insulin is responsible for carrying out this process.

Diabetics have problems with insulin production or the body's ability to respond to insulin. As a result, the process of converting glucose into energy is inhibited. Your energy needs are not met, even though you have eaten. The body that "feels" not yet energized, will send a signal to return to eating.

In medical terms, this symptom of diabetes is known as polyphagia, which describes excessive hunger or an unusual increase in appetite.

4. Weight loss drastically

In addition to always wanting to eat, drastic weight loss can be a sign of diabetes. If you have lost more than 5% of your total body weight, it is said to lose weight dramatically. Especially if you are not on a diet.

Normally, the body will use glycogen (glucose) as an energy source. However, due to the problem of insulin being unable to process the conversion of glucose into energy, the body begins to "look for" another source from the body, namely protein.

The body will continue to try to break down fat and muscle for energy. Well, the breakdown of muscle and fat is what makes you lose weight.

Keep in mind that the muscles in your body account for an average body weight of 45% in men, while in women 36%.

5. Dry skin

In fact, diabetes can also affect the skin condition of the sufferer. Diabetics often experience symptoms of itchy and dry skin due to diabetes, scaling, or cracks.

According to the American Diabetes Association, 1 in 3 people will experience the characteristics of diabetes, such as dry and itchy skin. This suggests that skin problems are a common symptom of diabetes.

This condition occurs because your body loses a lot of fluids through urine. As a result, the skin loses its natural moisture.

In addition, itchy skin due to diabetes can occur due to reduced nerve sensitivity and obstruction of blood circulation. High blood sugar will affect how the nervous system works and cause the body to produce more cytokines (small proteins for cell signaling).

Excess production of cytokines can cause inflammation in the body. Well, this inflammatory reaction causes dry, itchy, and cracked skin.

Another symptom of diabetes that can be seen on the skin is the appearance of black patches. This occurs due to excessive pigment production due to high insulin levels in diabetic patients. Changes are usually marked by skin that turns dark, scaly, and wrinkles appear.

6. Wounds that are difficult to heal

Infections, insect bites, bruises, or diabetes sores that won't heal can be symptoms of diabetes. This condition occurs due to high blood sugar levels, which causes the walls of the arteries to narrow and harden.

As a result, the flow of oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body is obstructed. In fact, the parts of the body that are injured really need oxygen and nutrients contained in the blood so that they heal quickly.

Well, this is what makes it difficult for body cells to repair damaged tissues and nerves. As a result, the healing of open wounds of people with diabetes tends to be slower.

In addition, the symptoms of diabetes are also exacerbated by a decrease in the immune system. Blood sugar levels that are too high in diabetes patients make the body's cells responsible for maintaining the immune system weaken. As a result, even a minor wound can become a serious infection that is difficult to treat.

7. Visual disturbances

Your vision will indeed continue to decline with age. However, if you have frequently complained of visual problems such as blurred, blurry, or cloudy vision from a young age, you should be aware of the symptoms of diabetes.

Diabetics' high blood glucose can cause nerve damage and bleeding in the blood vessels of the eye. In severe cases, vision problems due to diabetes can also cause cataracts, glaucoma and even permanent blindness.

8. Tingling

Another common symptom of diabetes is tingling, numbness, or a cold, tickling sensation in the feet. In addition, diabetes can also be indicated by the characteristics of easy swelling of the feet and hands.

Indeed, there are many factors that can cause tingling sensation. However, in most cases, prolonged and recurring tingling in the hands or feet can be a symptom of nerve damage due to a systemic disease such as diabetes.

About 2 out of 3 people who get diabetes experience this symptom because of nerve damage, both mild to severe.

In medical terms, the appearance of diabetes symptoms that cause nerve damage is called peripheral neuropathy. Over time, the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy in diabetic patients can worsen, resulting in decreased movement and even disability.

Symptoms like this usually occur in someone who has had diabetes for 5 years or more.

9. Limp and headache

Early stage diabetics usually complain of headache symptoms, body weakness, and lack of energy. There are two strongest reasons that can cause this characteristic of diabetes to appear, namely, blood sugar levels that are too high or too low (hypoglycemia).

Apart from imbalance in blood glucose levels in a person's body, diabetes symptoms can also appear because insulin in the body does not work effectively or is not produced sufficiently.

Insulin itself is needed to transport glucose from the blood to body cells for use as energy. When the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin or the insulin produced cannot work effectively, it means that the sugar in the blood cannot enter the body's cells.

As a result, the body's cells do not receive the energy intake needed to carry out their functions optimally, and you feel weak, lethargic, and not energized. Usually the symptoms of diabetes will appear some time after eating.

10. Fungal or bacterial infection

Other diabetes characteristics that you can watch out for are susceptibility to various types of infections. Not only bacterial infections from wounds that are hard to heal, but also fungal infections.

In women, diabetes symptoms can begin with a yeast infection in the vagina. Symptoms can include itching, pain, discharge, and pain during sex. This vaginal infection is caused by the growth of the candida yeast.

The reason is that relatively high blood glucose levels inhibit the immune system's response to fight various disease-causing bacteria and fungi.

For germs and bacteria, high sugar levels provide an advantage because it increases the ability of germs to grow and spread faster. These germs get additional energy to attack the body more easily and cause diabetes symptoms.

11. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

In the case of diabetes, everyone can experience symptoms that vary. In general, there is no fundamental difference between the symptoms of diabetes in women and men. However, there are typical symptoms of diabetes that only occur in women.

The characteristics of women who have diabetes are similar to those with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This disorder occurs when the adrenal glands produce higher levels of male hormones (hyperandrogenism) due to insulin resistance, which is the cause of diabetes.

Signs that you have polycystic ovary syndrome include an irregular menstrual schedule, weight gain, acne, and even feeling depressed. This syndrome can also lead to infertility as well as increased blood sugar levels.

12. Red and swollen gums

Other diabetes characteristics can also be marked gum and tooth problems. The mouth is the main door for food entry into the body. The mouth provides the perfect environment for bacteria to breed.

In healthy people, the immune system will easily fight bacteria in the mouth. However, people with diabetes will be more susceptible to infection because their immune system is weaker. As a result, the bacteria grows faster and causes gum infections.

If you experience symptoms like the above especially if they have been going on for quite some time, immediately check your blood sugar levels. Checking blood sugar can be done independently or diagnose diabetes mellitus directly by consulting a doctor. High blood sugar is one of the characteristics of diabetes or diabetes.

You need to immediately undergo diabetes treatment or healthy lifestyle changes to control blood sugar. That way, you can avoid complications.

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