9 Common Symptoms of Diabetes Most People Ignore

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You probably know what causes diabetes but do you know what are the symptoms of diabetes?

Diabetes is caused by high blood sugar/ glucose levels. The body has excess glucose when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or if the cells aren’t responding to insulin.

Studies show that only 10 percent of diabetics have type 1 diabetes. And it’s common in folks under 30 years. It’s usually caused by the body’s inability to produ8ce insulin, and most cases are genetic.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes – 90 percent of diabetics have it. And it’s common in people over 40 years. It can occur if the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or the cells don’t respond to insulin (insulin resistance).

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes may take years to start showing while for type 1 they only take weeks. So remember to check your blood glucose levels regularly.

Here are common symptoms of type 1 and 2 diabetes.

1. Hunger and fatigue

When the cells are resistant to insulin or the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, the cells won’t get energy from blood glucose. So you’ll end up feeling fatigued and hungry all the time.

2. Frequent urination

Pre-diabetics and diabetes urinate more than the average person. The body tries to produce more urine to reduce the excess blood glucose. Normal folks urinate 4-7 times in a day.

3. Thirst

Frequently urination causes the body to lose fluids at a fast rate, so you’ll be thirsty most of the time.

4. Itchy skin

Loss of fluid through urination causes the skin to be dry and itchy. Itchiness is mostly experienced around the genital area.

5. Blurred vision

Low fluid levels in the body makes the eyes weak and causes the lenses to swell.

6. Wounds heal slowly

Research shows that diabetes reduces the number of cells by the body to heal wounds.

7. Numbness or pain in legs

Diabetes causes nerve damage which may trigger numbness and pain in the legs.

8. Weight loss

When the body doesn’t get enough energy from food it starts using fat and muscles as a source of energy. You might lose weight even without reducing calorie intake.