The symptoms of diabetes
Feeling tired all the time, or constantly having the urge to nip to the loo? Perhaps you’re losing weight when you don’t intend to, or worry that your sugar intake is generally too high. It’s important to know the symptoms of diabetes, as this disease can be devastating if left untreated. The good news is, modern treatments (and early interventions) give you plenty of routes to improve your symptoms and retain your health, especially if you get help at the first signs of a problem.
With that in mind, let’s delve into the most common symptoms of diabetes, to either give you peace of mind – or prompt that overdue visit to your GP for a blood test!
The most common symptoms of diabetes
The ‘classic’ primary symptoms of diabetes are definitely feeling very tired (beyond ‘regular life’ tired) and urinating more frequently than usual, especially if you’re not making a concerted effort to drink more liquids. Equally, if you’re constantly feeling thirsty or losing weight without trying to, it’s worth a check-up with your GP.
But there are secondary symptoms that can be less obvious, too. For example, if your vision tends to blur, or you have cuts that take longer to heal than usual, these are possible indicators. Other symptoms include a tendency to get thrush or itching around your genital area.
Not everyone gets the same symptoms, but it’s interesting to note that they are shared by adults and children who have diabetes (and diabetes is increasing in children, too). In fact, Diabetes UK confirms that there are 35,000 children and young people living with the condition
Diabetes symptoms FAQs
What should I do if I notice symptoms?
Whether you or a family member experience one or more of these symptoms, the smart approach is just to book a check-up with your GP, and they can do further investigations. The usual approach is to check your blood glucose level via a simple blood test. It takes just a few days to get your results back, and if they are positive, your doctor will book a further appointment to go through your next steps.
You can also use the know your risk tool offered by Diabetes UK, which is useful as a starting point to assess your current health. Remember too that you can get a free NHS health check at age 40 and 45
What type of diabetes might it be?
The symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes are both very similar, but type 1 diabetes is far more common in younger people and tends to be symptomatic far more quickly. Type 2 diabetes can evolve over time. In fact, many people will find that they are showing early signs or ‘pre-diabetes’ if they are carrying excess weight and showing other indicators of metabolic disease. This is often picked up in the over-40 check-up offered by the NHS or in any other kind of routine check-up.
How is diabetes treated?
Typical treatment for diabetes is insulin, but this depends on what stage your diabetes has reached. If you’re prediabetic or ‘on the cusp’, your GP might suggest that you follow healthy lifestyle changes to lower your blood glucose levels. In some cases, these lifestyle steps can be effective at managing pre- or low-level diabetes and possibly avoid the need for insulin altogether. If you can get your blood sugar levels down to the normal level, you can sometimes put early diabetes into remission.
What lifestyle factors can mitigate my risk of diabetes?
Whether or not you’ve been told you have diabetes, are prediabetic or simply want to lower your risks of having diabetes in the future, it makes sense to follow healthy living guidelines. These steps help to bring your whole body into good health, which means you’ll have a better chance at avoiding all kinds of future diseases and conditions, including heart disease.
Obvious and very effective routes include eating a healthy diet, exercising, not smoking and limiting alcohol. Interestingly, maintaining good oral health is also believed to help minimise health risks for diabetes and heart disease, so schedule a check-up with your dentist to check that your teeth and gums are healthy.
What three things can I do today to help prevent or manage diabetes?
Firstly, and the main thing, is to speak to your GP if you have concerns. They will give you advice tailored to your needs and situation. For example, if you are already taking insulin, it may not be appropriate to go on a strict low-calorie diet, as it can affect your medication levels. The key is to develop an approach that will work with your own health goals and situation.
Beyond this, avoid alcohol, smoking, stress, junk food and sedentary living. Yes, these are five things, but we’ve bundled them into one! Avoid these lifestyle ‘sins’, and you’ll feel so much better and avoid a whole spectrum of diseases, particularly those that are related to ageing and obesity.
And last but not least, stay vigilant and don’t bury your head in the sand. If you get strange symptoms of any kind, don’t go into an AI self-diagnosis wormhole, just book an appointment with your GP, who can look at your health record, listen to your situation and give tailored, expert advice that is directly related to your needs. Whether that’s to reassure, test, set a course of action or do all three, you’ll be on the right path to protect your health for the long term.
