What are the early symptoms of diabetes

As people's living standards improve, their diet has become more uncontrolled, leading to more and more diseases such as high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and diabetes. Diabetes is a disease characterized by high blood sugar, which can cause damage and failure of the body's organs, especially the eyes, kidneys, heart, blood vessels, and nervous system. So, how do we diagnose this disease in its early stages and what are the symptoms?

Early symptoms of diabetes 1. Sexual dysfunction

Especially for middle-aged obese people with sexual dysfunction, the possibility of diabetes should be considered and their blood sugar levels should be checked in time.

Early symptoms of diabetes 2. Sudden vision loss

If you experience sudden or rapidly worsening vision loss such as myopia or blurred vision and cannot find the cause, consider having your blood sugar checked.

Early symptoms of diabetes 3. Postprandial hypoglycemia

In the early stages of diabetes, the insulin secretion process is slow. When insulin secretion reaches its peak, the postprandial blood sugar peak has passed, so hypoglycemia may occur. If you often experience symptoms of hypoglycemia such as dizziness and palpitations between meals, you should be alert to the possibility of diabetes.

Early symptoms of diabetes 4. Itchy skin

When the skin of the body often experiences unexplained itching, especially in the elderly, in addition to considering senile skin itching, the possibility of diabetes cannot be ruled out and blood sugar needs to be checked in time.

Early symptoms of diabetes 5. Diarrhea

If the number of diarrhea episodes per day ranges from 2 to 10 times, and bowel movements often occur after meals, at night, or in the early morning, and the stools are unformed or are fatty diarrhea, and the diarrhea manifests as stubborn or intermittent diarrhea, the possibility of diabetes should also be considered, and further blood tests are needed.

Early symptoms of diabetes 6. Infection

Infection of unknown cause. This type of infection can occur in the skin, mouth, urinary system, lungs, etc. Its characteristics are recurring infections and lingering difficulties in healing. You should also consider checking your blood sugar and urine sugar levels. In addition, clinical data show that approximately 10% to 15% of diabetic patients will develop pulmonary tuberculosis. Therefore, when pulmonary tuberculosis develops particularly rapidly, the condition is severe, and the treatment effect is poor, the possibility of diabetes should also be considered.

Early symptoms of diabetes 7. Numbness of extremities

About 40% of diabetic patients may experience numbness in their hands and feet, and decreased or absent sensation in their extremities; some people may feel like they are walking on cotton. When unexplained numbness in the extremities occurs, you should not ignore checking your blood sugar and urine sugar.

Differential Diagnosis

1. Liver disease

Patients with cirrhosis often have abnormal glucose metabolism, typically with normal or low fasting blood sugar and a rapid rise in blood sugar after meals. Fasting blood sugar may also increase in patients with long-term illness.

2. Chronic renal insufficiency

Mild abnormalities in glucose metabolism may occur.

3. Stress

Many stressful conditions such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular accidents, acute infections, trauma, and surgical operations may cause a transient increase in blood sugar, which can be recovered 1 to 2 weeks after the stress factors are eliminated.

4. Various endocrine diseases

For example, acromegaly, Cushing's syndrome, hyperthyroidism, pheochromocytoma, and glucocortinoma can cause secondary diabetes. In addition to increased blood sugar, there are other characteristic manifestations, which are not difficult to identify.