Diabetes type 2: Dr Zoe Williams discusses high blood sugar risks
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Diabetes is a very common condition that can affect people of all ages. About five million people have diabetes in the UK, but there are still huge numbers of people that have high blood sugar without even knowing it. It’s essential that if you develop any of the key symptoms of diabetes, you should speak to a doctor.
Diabetes is a condition that describes having too much sugar in the bloodstream.
It’s caused by the body not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the body not reacting to insulin.
Insulin helps to convert sugar in the blood into energy.
If you have diabetes, you may develop some “unusual” symptoms that you might not recognise, warned medical website Healthline.
“Diabetes is a chronic, progressive illness,” it said. “So understanding how to recognise symptoms is key to maintaining a healthy blood sugar level.
But early diabetes symptoms aren’t the same for everyone. Some people develop tell-tale signs of the condition, whereas others experience rare symptoms.
“Early symptoms of diabetes can be hard to recognise. If you have any unusual symptoms that don’t improve or worsen, make an appointment with your doctor.
“Testing can confirm or rule out this disease. If you’re diagnosed with diabetes, your doctor can recommend the best course of treatment.”
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Vision changes
You may have blurry vision or swollen eyes. Some patients struggle to focus on specific objects.
Darker skin on the neck
Dark, velvet patches of skin can appear in the creases of the skin. It’s caused by high levels of insulin in the blood, prompting the rapid reproduction of cells.
Dizziness
Some diabetes patients may often feel lightheaded without any obvious reason.
Sexual dysfunction.
Men can develop erectile dysfunction if they have high blood sugar, caused by nerve and blood vessel damage.
Women might have a lower libido than normal, warned the medical website.
Itching
You may find that you’ve been itching more often than normal if you have undiagnosed diabetes.
High blood sugar can cause nerve fibre damage in the body – most commonly in the hands and feet.
It’ll feel as if you’ve got persistent pins and needles.
The most common diabetes symptoms include having an unquenchable thirst, passing more urine than normal, and feeling very tired or fatigued.
If you think that you may have diabetes, you should speak to a doctor as soon as possible.
Diabetes increases your risk of some deadly complications, including heart disease and strokes.
A simple blood test should be enough to reveal whether you have diabetes, or not.
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