Recognizing Type 2 Diabetes

According to the National Institutes of Health, approximates 25.8 million people are currently suffering from diabetes. Of these people, anywhere from 90 to 95 percent are suffering from type 2. Type 1, which is much less common, is generally diagnosed during childhood. 

What is even more surprising is that, of these 25.8 million people, 7 million don’t even know that they have diabetes. Diabetes can be very dangerous when left untreated. If a patient believes that they may be suffering from this disease, they need to take a careful look at their symptoms.

Common symptoms of type 2 include: excessive thirst, dehydration, sweet smelling urine, fatigue, increased hunger, frequent urination, nausea, blurred vision, and numbness or tingling in the extremities,. Patients may also develop open sores, as well as frequent urinary tract, vaginal, and skin infections. These infections may take an abnormally long time to heal.

When glucose, or sugar, begins building in the blood, the body will force itself to urinate to get rid of the extra glucose. While this helps the kidneys expel the extra glucose, it will also dehydrate the cells. This is what causes the dehydration, thirst, and dry mouth that diabetics often experience. If a person becomes overly dehydrated, they may even fall into a diabetic coma.

Also, because glucose is being expelled in the patient’s urine, they may notice that their urine has a candy-like odor. Sweet smelling urine is one of the most common symptoms of type 2 diabetes and hypoglycemia.

If diabetes goes untreated, a patient may begin experiencing retinopathy, poor circulation, nerve damage and stomach problems, like ulcers, vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea. Poor circulation and nerve damage is what causes the tingling and numbness that many patients experience. Retinopathy occurs when the blood vessels in the eyes are damaged. This is what causes the blurred vision, but may also lead to blindness.

Recognizing Common Risk Factors

If a person is experiencing symptoms associated with type 2 diabetes, they may also want to determine whether they are at an increased risk of developing this disease. The biggest risk factors are age and body composition. Obese individuals, over 45 years of age, are at the greatest risk of developing diabetes.

People with a family history of diabetes and a personal history of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels, gestational diabetes, glucose intolerance, and/or polycystic ovary syndrome are also at an increased risk. People of certain ethnicities, like African American, Asian, Alaska Native, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and American Indian, are also more likely to develop diabetes. Individuals that possess one or more risk factors and experience symptoms should get tested for the disease as soon as possible.