Diabetes Symptoms & Causes

Learn about diabetes

Diabetes is a medical condition characterized by the body’s inability to regulate blood sugar levels. When a person consumes food or drinks a beverage, the body turns what is ingested into glucose, also known as sugar, which is then converted into the fuel needed to sustain the body’s functioning. The pancreas produces and regulates the release of insulin to manage blood sugar levels. However, when a person suffers from diabetes, blood sugar levels can be either too high or too low. When the sugar levels in a person’s blood are not regulated, a number of health problems can occur.

Individuals who carry excess weight are at a heightened risk for developing this medical condition, more specifically, type 2 diabetes. Consuming foods and drinking beverages that are high in sugar can cause the pancreas to produce too much insulin and can lead to the eventual diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. While type 1 diabetes is a genetic condition that cannot be prevented or treated by improving one’s eating choices, type 2 diabetes is preventable if a person maintains a healthy lifestyle and consumes a balanced and nutritious diet.

It is estimated that over nine percent of people in America currently have diabetes. It has also been found through extensive research that individuals who are overweight or obese have a fifteen to thirty percent chance of developing type 2 diabetes if measures to lose weight are not taken. Lastly, it has been proven that the presence of diabetes can increase a person’s chances for a number of health concerns that could be life-threatening.

Risk factors and causes of diabetes

There are a number of risk factors that can make a person vulnerable to the development of diabetes. The following risk factors are those reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• Being overweight or obese
• Family history of diabetes
• Personal history of gestational diabetes
• Personal history of polycystic ovarian syndrome
• Having high blood pressure
• Having abnormal triglyceride and/or cholesterol levels
• Being of older age
• Having a glucose intolerance
• Lack of physical activity / exercise
• Poor nutrition / unhealthy diet
• Being Asian-American, African-American, Latino/Hispanic-American, or of Pacific Islander descent

Common diabetes symptoms and signs

There are a variety of signs that infer a person is suffering from diabetes. It is necessary to note the presence of any of the symptoms and report them to one’s doctor if it is suspected that diabetes is affecting one’s life. Some potential signs of being diabetic:

Physical symptoms:

• Frequent urination
• Wounds that will not heal or are slower to heal
• Tired feeling
• Blurry vision
• Increased hunger
• Weight loss
• Dry skin
• Presence of infections
• Numbness in the hands and feet

Cognitive symptoms:

• Difficulty concentrating
• Memory impairments

Psychosocial symptoms:

• Irritability

If you feel that you are in crisis, or are having thoughts about hurting yourself or others, please call the nearest emergency room immediately.

Effects of diabetes

Failing to receive a diagnosis of and getting treatment for diabetes can be very costly to a person’s health. The listed effects are those that are known to occur if a person does not receive treatment or adhere to treatment recommendations to manage one’s diabetes:

• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Nerve damage
• Foot ulcers
• Infection
• Hearing impairment
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Kidney failure
• Untimely death
• Diabetic retinopathy, of which could lead to blindness
• Limb amputation
• Pregnancy complications