Insulin is a hormone that converts sugar into energy for the body. When the body is not able to use insulin as it should, diabetes mellitus develops. According to the American Diabetes Association, 8 percent of the United States population has diabetes, but out of that total, only 24 percent have been diagnosed with it. This is often because the symptoms of diabetes are subtle and often go unnoticed or are attributed to something else. If you are experiencing one of these three common symptoms of diabetes, speak with your health care provider.
Thirst
Diabetes can cause excessive thirst. Dr. Ben Kim, of Ontario, Canada, explains that when someone has excess sugar in the bloodstream, the kidneys often cannot prevent it from leaving the body in the urine. When the sugar does leave the body, it pulls extra water from the cells and tissues and takes that water with it. This leads to a condition of dehydration which causes the thirst. The Mayo Clinic adds that the additional fluids the diabetic is consuming also increases urination.
Wound Healing Issues
A study in the May 1, 2007, issue of the "Journal of Clinical Investigations" reports that diabetics have several factors against them when it comes to wound healing. All of these factors affect how well the cells can respond to an injury and facilitate healing of the wound. The longer the wound remains open, the greater the risk of infection. This is why you may often hear of someone with diabetes that had to have a foot or other extremity amputated. According to the researchers at Columbia University who performed the study, new cells are created in the bone marrow, and the circulatory complications that come with diabetes prevent the cells from reaching the wound area. If you have a wound that has not responded to treatment, see your physician.
Vision Problems
Diabetes can cause what is referred to as diabetic retinopathy. The American Foundation for the Blind explains that diabetic retinopathy takes place when the blood vessels no longer feed proper nutrients to the retina. When this first develops, fluid can leak into the retina from the vessels, which can cause blurred vision. In later stages, new blood vessels form and send blood to the center of the eye which can lead to blindness. Any changes in your vision, especially if accompanied by slow wound healing and excessive thirst, need to be reported to your doctor as soon as possible.
