Around 1 in 10 people in the United States alone suffer from diabetes and around 21.4 of all adults with the condition are currently undiagnosed. This is not good news because, if you do not know you have diabetes, you do not know that you should be changing your lifestyle to stay healthy and keep it under control, which means you can get very sick as a result.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the more surprising symptoms of diabetes, which is a very common condition, so you can spot the signs that you or someone you love may have the condition and get treatment as soon as possible should the need arise.
- Tooth loss
Many people do not realize that diabetes can affect the teeth, but it is not uncommon for higher than usual blood sugar levels to cause tooth decay, which eventually leads to tooth loss. If you, or someone you know, has recently had tooth decay problems or had to have dental implants fitted due to tooth loss despite taking good care of your oral health it could be worth looking into the possibility that you may be diabetic.
- Darkened skin
If you have noticed that your skin, especially around the area of your neck, has started to look darker than usual, it could be a sign you have diabetes. Why? Because Type 2 diabetes can cause acanthosis nigricans to develop in some people.
- Blurred vision
Diabetes can also, unfortunately, affect the eyes, and blurred vision is often the first sign that all is not well with your body. Fluctuations in blood sugar levels can cause your eye to swell and this causes blurred vision to occur. See an ophthalmologist and they should be able to tell you if your blurred vision is likely down to diabetes or another health issue entirely, but do not ignore it or your could end up losing your vision completely!
- Chronic infections
When you have diabetes, you have a lot of sugar moving through your bloodstream and this can make it difficult for your white blood cells to move around your body ad fight infections ad effectively as they should. This can lead to lots of recurring infections, especially in the urinary tract or on the skin. If you suffer from frequent UTIs or boils and sored you dan never seem to get rid of, get yourself checked for diabetes as soon as possible. You don’t have to keep suffering in silence.
- Mood swings
When you have frequent mood swings, you might naturally think that you may have a mental health issue that needs to be explored with your doctor. That could well be the case, but it is also possible that you may have diabetes because as your blood sugar levels rise and fall, so may your moods, This is one of the most common symptoms of diabetes that many people do not realize is caused by the condition!
Spot any of these symptoms, and it would be an excellent idea to make an appointment with your doctor just in case.
