Many people do not know they have type 2 diabetes, and so they do not take measures to manage it. In type 2 diabetes, the body cannot use insulin properly.
In time, it may stop producing insulin. Insulin problems can cause a person to have too much sugar in their blood, and this can result in a number of complications. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC estimate that, in , nearly 25 percent of people with diabetes in the United States did not know they had the condition.
A person who recognizes the signs and symptoms can getting an early diagnosis and take action to prevent complications from arising. The following are 10 signs that a person needs help with their treatment for diabetes. Anyone experiencing them should consult a doctor promptly. When a person works out their treatment plan with their doctor, the doctor will advise them on their target glucose levels.
These can vary between people. The correct use of diabetes medication and lifestyle changes can usually bring blood glucose within target ranges. If blood glucose remains too high, or if it is steadily rising, the person should speak to their doctor, as they may need to adjust their treatment plan.
A person should see a doctor if they start to have more frequent infections, or if they take longer to recover from a wound or infection than they did before. A study published in notes that people with diabetes have a higher risk of:. Yeast feeds on sugar, and so the combination of lowered immunity and high blood glucose makes people with diabetes particularly at risk from frequent yeast infections.
Infections that occur with diabetes take longer to heal and can worsen more quickly than in other people. Without prompt treatment, sepsis , a life-threatening complication, can develop. People should check regularly for skin changes and seek medical help as soon as they have any signs of an infection. Learn more here about why people with diabetes should take extra care with their feet. Frequent urination, or polyuria , is a common sign of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Polyuria happens when a person urinates at least 3 liters per day. This happens because the body tries to rid the blood of excess glucose. When sugar levels are high, people also drink more frequently, causing them to produce more urine. What does it mean if you are urinating more than usual?
Click here to find out more. This is common in type 1 diabetes, and it can also occur with type 2 when blood sugar levels are very high. Dehydration can contribute to diabetic ketoacidosis DKA , a life-threatening emergency that can arise when the body cannot access glucose for energy, and it starts to break down fat instead.
Ketones are a by-product of this process. As they accumulate in the blood, they can make the blood too acidic. People with diabetes who experience symptoms of DKA need immediate medical attention.
DKA can be fatal, and it needs emergency hospital treatment. A person with diabetes may have high blood glucose levels, but their cells cannot access this glucose to use it as energy. Insulin is necessary for processing glucose effectively. Even if a person has high blood sugar levels, their body may lack energy. This can lead to polyphagia , in which the body triggers hunger signs as it tries to gain access to fuel.
Even when a person eats, the hunger may persist, as the body continues to ask for fuel. You can effectively manage earlier phases like prediabetes with a balanced diet, exercise, and careful monitoring of blood sugars. This can also prevent the development of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes can be controlled. In some cases, it can even go into remission if needed lifestyle changes are made. Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar that develops during pregnancy. Most of the time, you can manage gestational diabetes through diet and exercise.
It also typically resolves after the baby is delivered. Gestational diabetes can increase your risk of complications during pregnancy. It can also increase the risk of type 2 diabetes development later in life for both the birthing parent and child. This can create high levels of toxic chemicals, including acids and ketone bodies, which may lead to a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. Diabetic ketoacidosis is a serious complication of the disease. Symptoms include:. High blood sugar levels and excess ketones in your urine can confirm diabetic ketoacidosis.
If untreated, this condition can lead to loss of consciousness or even death. Diabetic hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome HHS occurs in type 2 diabetes.
It involves very high blood glucose levels but no ketones. You might become dehydrated with this condition. You may even lose consciousness. It can also be caused by a heart attack, stroke, or infection. High blood glucose levels may cause gastroparesis.
This delay can cause blood glucose levels to rise. As a result, you may also experience:. Diabetes can also damage your kidneys and affect their ability to filter waste products from your blood.
Kidney disease related to diabetes is called diabetic nephropathy. If you have diabetes, your doctor will evaluate you for nephropathy to help prevent irreversible kidney damage or kidney failure. Diabetes raises your risk of developing high blood pressure , which puts further strain on your heart. When you have high blood glucose levels, this can contribute to the formation of fatty deposits in blood vessel walls.
Over time, it can restrict blood flow and increase the risk of atherosclerosis , or hardening of the blood vessels. In addition to monitoring and controlling your blood glucose, healthy eating habits and regular exercise can help lower the risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. Smoking increases your risk of cardiovascular problems and restricted blood flow. Your doctor can help you create a quit plan. The best apps to quit smoking ». This is called intermittent claudication.
The narrowed blood vessels in your legs and feet may also cause problems in those areas. For example, your feet may feel cold, or you may be unable to feel heat due to a lack of sensation. This condition is known as peripheral neuropathy , which is a type of diabetic neuropathy that causes decreased sensation in the extremities. Diabetes also increases your risk of developing infections or ulcers of the foot. Poor blood flow and nerve damage increases the likelihood of having a foot or leg amputated.
Currently, more than 29 million people — one in 10 American adults — have diabetes. If trends continue as many as one—in-three Americans could face the disease by Diabetes is a complex, chronic condition that requires consistent medical care and treatment to help control blood sugar levels.
If left untreated, diabetes can lead to devastating complications, such as heart disease, nerve damage, blindness, kidney failure and amputations. And the risk of death for adults with diabetes is 50 percent higher than for adults without diabetes. The cost of not treating diabetes is detrimental to the patient, and also to society.
And people with diabetes, on average, have medical costs twice as high as for people without diabetes. These costs are unsustainable and underscore the need to control diabetes with a proper treatment plan, including diet, exercise and medications. While we have made progress in reducing mortality - death rates for people with diabetes have fallen 40 percent since - millions of people still do not have their diabetes under control and millions more remain undiagnosed and at risk of worse health complications.
With new medicines currently in development for type 1 and type 2 diabetes and diabetes-related conditions, we have the potential to further reduce the burden of diabetes and improve the lives of patients. Topics: Diabetes , Drug Cost. Please be advised that this page contains pixel tags.
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