Diabetes is a common condition where the body’s ability to produce insulin is impaired. It’s a lifelong disease, but with the correct management the effects can easily be kept at bay.
There are several warning signs of diabetes to look out for, if you think you or someone you know may be suffering.
Dr Adam Simon, founder and lead GP at Private GP Extra, recommends being aware of the following:
1. Urge to urinate a lot – A key warning sign of diabetes is when the need to go to the toilet starts to wake you up from sleep on a regular basis.
2. Feeling tired and fatigued – This is due to an imbalance in blood sugar levels.
3. Involuntary weight loss – Insufficient insulin means the body may start burning fat and muscle for energy, causing weight loss
4. Feeling excessively thirsty – Due to needing to urinate more, this will also lead you to feeling more thirsty than usual as your kidneys try to flush themselves out.
5. Itching and thrush – High sugar levels gives the yeast better conditions to grow in.
6. Blurred vision – High blood sugar can cause the lens of the eye to swell, resulting in blurred vision.
7. Cuts taking longer to heal – Diabetes leads to poor circulation meaning it’s more difficult for cuts and wounds to heal.
There are two different types of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes and can be managed by medicines. With this type, the pancreas usually produces some insulin, however the amount produced is not sufficient.
Type 1 diabetes is more serious, and is nothing to do with lifestyle. It is managed with daily injections of insulin to keep blood glucose levels under control, which need to be administered by yourself.
If you have any worries at all about diabetes, speak to your doctor – the sooner a diagnosis is made, the easier the condition is to manage. To book an appointment with one of our GPs, please call 0161 428 4464.
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