Symptoms of diabetes aren’t as straightforward as you might think.
One in 10 Americans suffer from diabetes. It is a serious disease that can negatively impact your life in many ways. Diabetes is fairly common, so awareness isn’t really so much of an issue. Catching it early is very important however.
Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes can appear within a few weeks or months, whereas Type 2 can take years for symptoms to show. Being overly thirsty, or constantly feeling the need to urinate are two widely accepted symptoms. However, these symptoms are fairly easy to miss, and can delay your diagnosis, especially if you are someone who likes to live in denial (Aren’t we all?).
Effects of diabetes include cardiovascular disease, nerve and kidney damage, eye damage, hearing impairment, and even amputation in serious cases. So the more you know about the symptoms, the better. Here are five hidden potential symptoms of diabetes to consider.
Gum Disease- Periodontitis is a gum disease that involves receding gum lines. If untreated, the disease can lead to tooth loss. Periodontitis is 2-3 times more common in people with diabetes, as they both have to do with the body’s inflammatory response.
Increased Infections- Bacterial and fungal infections can be a sign of diabetes because the increased blood sugar levels create a hospitable environment for infections. Bacterial infections like staph, styes, and hair and nail infections can be a sign of diabetes. Fungal infections like yeast infections, jock itch, and athlete’s foot are also potential indicators. However, it should be noted that these are fairly common, so they are only a red flag if they keep happening repeatedly.
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Vision Issues- Changes in vision, like blurry vision, trouble reading, spots, and streaks can be a sign that elevated sugar levels are causing constrictions in the blood vessels of your eye.
Hearing Issues- Diabetes doubles your chance of experiencing hearing loss because of nerve damage in your ears.
Bed Wetting- Children who experience bedwetting may be a sign of an underlying condition such as Type 1 diabetes. This is only really a concern if the child is bed wetting multiple times per week, and experiencing other symptoms. However if your child starts experiencing this suddenly, it is worth a mention to your doctor, especially if diabetes runs in your family.