Symptoms of diabetes may seem harmless or unrelated to a disease, according to the Mayo Clinic. Many people do not recognize the signs as diabetes. Early treatment can reduce symptoms and prevent life-threatening complications that occur when diabetes is not controlled or treated. People who experience these symptoms should check with a doctor for proper diagnosis to avoid the risks that follow.
Urination and Thirst
Diabetes boosts excess sugar or glucose in the blood. The kidneys cannot filter and absorb the excess sugar and excretes it through the urine. Increased urination results and may lead to dehydration. The process causes more thirst than usual and more urination. Nocturia, a condition that wakes people in the middle of the night to urinate, may be caused by untreated diabetes. The condition might be mistaken for aging because many people urinate more often in the middle of the night as they get older, the Cleveland Clinic explains.
Fatigue
The dehydration of diabetes from increased urination may lead to fatigue, the Mayo Clinic notes. Diabetes also interrupts the body's ability to produce insulin properly to regulate blood sugar. The sugar is needed for energy, and diabetics may suffer fatigue.
Weight Loss
Frequent urination robs the body of calories. Diabetes also does not allow enough sugar from food to reach the body's cells. Constant hunger may result. Rapid weight loss along with increased appetite indicate the possibility of diabetes.
Blurred Vision
The excess sugar levels may take fluid from lens tissue in the eyes, causing focus problems. Untreated diabetes can cause blood vessels to form in the retina in the back part of the eye and damage old vessels, according to the Mayo Clinic. The changes can lead to vision loss and blindness. Many diabetics do not notice the early changes, but the condition progressively deteriorates without proper treatment.
Neuropathy
Numbness and pain can occur in the hands, feet or legs because of nerve damage from diabetic neuropathy, according to the Civista Medical Center in La Plata, Maryland. Symptoms may also include tingling, burning, sharp pains, cramps and loss of coordination. Slow healing sores or cuts in the feet increase the risk of infection or even amputation because of diabetes. Close monitoring of the feet is often part of the treatment plan for diabetics.
Kidney Failure
Diabetes is the No. 1 cause of chronic kidney failure, also called end-stage renal disease, according to Civista Medical Center. Kidney disease is a risk for people who do not recognize their diabetic symptoms and leave the condition untreated.
Heart Disease
Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease and heart attack. Diabetics need to take special care in controlling weight and blood cholesterol levels to avoid these risk factors, according to the American Heart Association. Controlling high blood pressure also reduces the risk of heart problems, especially for people with diabetes.
