The onset of diabetes may be accompanied by many types of diabetes symptoms. But the American Diabetes Association warns that diabetes may also arrive quietly, with many of the symptoms overlooked as mild annoyances. The Mayo Clinic warns that more than 6 million people don't recognize the symptoms of diabetes, which can delay treatment. In general, diabetes symptoms fall into three categories: extreme thirst, weight loss (despite high calorie intake) and slow wound healing. Patients may experience one symptom, all symptoms or none at all. Doctors diagnose diabetes through blood and urine tests detecting abnormal blood glucose levels.
Extreme Thirst
Many patients experience symptoms of diabetes as extreme thirst and sudden changes in appetite. The Mayo Clinic explains that the buildup of glucose in the blood forces the kidneys to work overtime, pumping out the excess glucose through urine, which uses a great deal of the body's water reserve. This causes the characteristic extreme thirst.
Weight Loss Despite a High Calorie Intake
Rapid weight loss despite patients eating great quantities of food is another symptom of diabetes. While at first this may sound ideal, high calorie intake accompanied by rapid weight loss is a signal that the body's metabolism is significantly out of balance. The blood glucose released from food cannot be used by the body's cells, so the body keeps burning fat for energy while simultaneously dumping glucose out through the urine. This leads to weight loss, but the kidneys and other organs are under extreme stress dealing with all the excess sugar.
Slow Healing
Cuts that become infected or are slow to heal may be overlooked by many, but this is also a sign of diabetes. When blood sugar levels remain elevated over extended periods of time, the immune system malfunctions. Cells retain water to deal with the excess sugar, which prevents the normal functioning of immune system cells responsible for wound healing. The resulting delayed healing time signals an immune system struggling to reach the area to heal the cut or wound.
