Diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body either doesn't produce enough insulin---the hormone necessary for breaking down glucose to use as fuel for the body---or can't make use of the insulin it produces. There are three basic types of diabetes: type 1, type 2 and gestational.
Type 1 diabetes usually has its onset at a younger age. For type 2, which is sometimes called adult-onset diabetes, symptoms can be quite subtle---or even nonexistent---and frequently go unrecognized for years, according to the Mayo Clinic. As with most chronic illnesses, however, early diagnosis means better treatment and a healthier life. Therefore, it's important to know the risk factors for this type of diabetes, which include age, overweight, inadequate exercise and a family history of diabetes. Some symptoms may be found in all types of diabetes.
Frequent Urination and Excessive Thirst
The classic symptoms of all types of diabetes are extreme thirstiness and the repeated need to urinate. Urinary frequency happens because your kidneys can't filter all the excess glucose in your body, so they dump it into your urine, along with fluids they pull from your body tissues to help dilute the blood sugars. This leaves you feeling dehydrated, so you tend to be thirsty more often.
Extreme Hunger and Unusual Weight Loss
Frequent urination means you are excreting calories all the time. Add in the inability to break down glucose and you get symptoms of almost constant hunger, sometimes combined with unexplained weight loss.
Increased Fatigue
The same basic breakdown in your system may also cause fatigue. Because you can't make good use of the calories you're taking in, plus your body is working overtime to try to compensate for the imbalance, you may feel tired for no apparent reason.
Blurred Vision
The process that causes frequent urination and excessive thirst---the kidneys drawing fluids from body tissues to dilute the glucose in your system---may also affect your vision. When the fluids are drawn from the lenses in your eyes, it affects your ability to focus. Without treatment, blindness may occur.
Poor Wound Healing or Frequent Infections
The excess glucose in the blood can affect both the white blood cells that promote healing and the blood vessels themselves, leading to poor circulation. This combination results in wounds that take a long time to heal.
The effect on the body's immune system also may lead to an increased susceptibility to infections, along with less chance to fight off those infections once acquired, according to the National Institutes of Health. This may show up as damage to your gums, due to the inability of your body to fight the germs commonly found in the mouth.
Change of Sensation in Hands or Feet
Eventually, the continued battle between your kidneys and the excessive glucose in your body could lead to nerve damage. The loss of sensation or burning pain may be especially noticeable in the hands and feet.
Agitation or Irritability
One symptom that may occur in those with known diabetes is unexplained agitation or irritability, or even lethargy or confusion. These symptoms may indicate that your blood sugars are out of control and should trigger an immediate call to your own doctor or to 911, as you will need medical attention without delay.
