What does diabetes type 2 mean?
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. It affects 90% of the 18 million people who have been diagnosed with any type of diabetes. But because it develops gradually, millions of people don’t even know they have it.
Type 2 diabetes affects the body’s ability to absorb insulin and regulate glucose. It is a progressive condition, and the longer you have it, the more help you need to regulate your glucose levels. Over time, uncontrolled glucose levels can lead to both short- and long-term health risks, including hypoglycemia; eye, kidney, and nerve disease; heart disease; and stroke.
The sooner you catch the warning signs of type 2 diabetes, the better chance you have of preventing serious damage, and the more likely you’ll be able to address your glucose levels for many years without insulin injections.
Keep an eye out for the following 10 warning signs of type 2 diabetes.
- Frequent urination
- Excessive thirst
- Unexplained weight loss
- Skin problems
- Increased hunger
- Foot numbness and pain
- Yeast infections
- Slow healing
- Blurred vision
- Fatigue and irritability
#Frequent urination
The kidneys react to excess glucose by flushing it out of the blood and into the urine. Be sure to alert your doctor if you notice an increase in the number of times you need to urinate.
#Excessive thirst
As your urination increases in frequency, your body will require more fluids to replenish what has been lost. This will cause you to feel more thirsty than normal.
#Unexplained weight loss
Type 2 diabetes causes your body to think it’s starving because the insulin hormone is not getting the glucose into your cells. So your body begins to break down the proteins in your fat and muscles as an alternative source of energy. In addition, your kidneys are working overtime to flush excess sugars out of the body. These factors lead to rapid and unsafe weight loss.
#Skin problems
In the early stages of type 2 diabetes, before you even reach high levels of blood sugar, the problems in your insulin resistance process may begin to show on your skin. This could include itchy, dry skin, or a darkening of the skin around your neck and armpit areas. Children who develop the skin discoloration condition known as acanthosis nigricans are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
#Increased hunger
Type 2 diabetes causes your pancreas to produce more and more insulin because it’s trying to compensate for the low level of glucose making its way to your cells. The low blood sugar and high insulin levels signal to your brain that your body is hungry.
#Foot numbness and pain
Long-term high blood sugar can damage your nerves. This usually begins in the feet and makes its way upward. Not everyone with type 2 diabetes will experience this, but those who do will feel numbness, tingling, and pain in their extremities.
#Yeast infections
When blood sugar levels are elevated, yeast and bacteria multiply more quickly, creating a heightened susceptibility to a variety of infections. Women are particularly at risk for vaginal yeast infections.
#Slow healing
Excessive glucose damages blood vessels. This makes it difficult for the body to heal cuts, bruises, and infections as quickly as it used to. Many people with type 2 diabetes are slow to heal, especially as the disease progresses.
#Fatigue and irritability
As your body expends extra effort to get rid of excess amounts of glucose, it will zap your energy, and you’ll have less get-up-and-go. When you add sleep interruptions from frequent urination, it’s likely that you’ll be irritable as well.
#Blurred vision
High glucose levels change the shape of the lens that focuses the eye. The muscles of the eye then have to work harder to focus. The distorted vision that results from these conditions is reversible, but if left unchecked, type 2 diabetes can cause permanent damage to the eyes, including blindness.
We may be able to help
Type 2 diabetes is a serious disease, but when caught early, it’s manageable. Be sure to keep watch for the above warning signs, and talk to your doctor about any possible symptoms you may have. If you or a loved one shows symptoms of diabetes or receives a positive diagnosis, we may be able to offer participation in one of our diabetes research trials at Synergy Research Centers.
If you are interested in participating or would like more information about our clinical trials, give us a call or fill out the contact form on our website.