The atypical signs of diabetes are becoming increasingly common, and those who have them frequently miss those signs. These atypical symptoms are difficult to detect, and many people are unaware that they have them until complications occur. Diabetic complications can be serious and deadly, and they should not be ignored.
According to a World Health Organization report in 2021, 1 in 17 people have diabetes worldwide.
It’s important to distinguish between the types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is related to genetics, and these patients take insulin for life. They account for 10% of all diabetics. Type 2 diabetes is associated with lifestyle choices, accounting for 90% of total cases.
A diet high in sugar, salt, and oil, along with a lifestyle that includes excessive stress, smoking, alcohol consumption, and lack of adequate sleep can elevate the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The typical symptoms of diabetes include eating a lot but often hungry; drinking a lot but often thirsty (patients may drink as much as 1.5 gallons of water a day); urinating a lot, due to drinking a lot of water; and weight loss.
However, the number of patients with atypical symptoms is increasing, and symptoms are becoming less obvious. The patients may have the following symptoms:
- Blurred vision
- Numbness in the limbs
- Frequent fatigue, as patients feel tired easily
- Having difficulty waking up, and patients want to sleep more
- Wounds that do not heal easily
Some patients discovered their illness only after a stroke, myocardial infarction, blurred vision, or wounds that didn’t heal easily. And these are all complications of diabetes.
Diabetes affects the entire body. In addition to stroke and myocardial infarction, you could develop retinopathy, periodontal diseases, nephropathy, neuropathy, diabetic foot, and many other complications. Diabetes accelerates the hardening and aging of blood vessels, which impairs microcirculation.
The microcirculation directly supplies oxygen and nutrients to tissue cells. When microcirculation is impaired, it causes damage to nerves and organs, leading to complications. These complications can be classified as chronic or acute, and these lesions are often irreversible and can even be life-threatening.
Chronic complications of diabetes
Nephropathy: There are a lot of capillaries in the kidneys. If the blood vessels are hardened and aged, it will soon cause renal insufficiency. This can lead to proteinuria, increased blood pressure, and chronic kidney failure, resulting in uremia and the need for lifelong dialysis.
Neuropathy: This includes damage to the autonomic or peripheral nerves, causing palpitations, bloating, constipation or diarrhea, difficulty urinating, incontinence, postural hypotension, sexual dysfunction, numbness and tingling in the limbs, and sensory dullness.
Macroangiopathy: Atherosclerosis of the brain, heart, and feet can cause stroke, myocardial infarction, and peripheral vascular obstruction. Especially when the blood supply to the feet is reduced, it will cause intermittent claudication, abnormal sensation, susceptibility to infection, slow wound healing, and in severe cases, amputation.
Microangiopathy: The main lesions are those of the kidneys and eyes.
Eye lesions: The common ones include cataracts, retinopathy, macular edema, glaucoma, and even blindness. Diabetes is the leading cause of adult blindness.
In addition, when microcirculation of the skin worsens, the skin will become unable to maintain normal immune functions. Viruses or bacteria can easily break through the nasal mucosa, oral mucosa, and conjunctiva of the eyes, making the patient susceptible to infections.
Acute complications of diabetes
Ketoacidosis: Insufficient insulin causes the body to produce keto acids, making the blood acidic. This phenomenon is called ketoacidosis and can also cause a coma.
Hyperosmolar coma: A sudden rise in blood glucose within a short period of time results in a coma.
Final thoughts
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, it is crucial to work closely with your doctor, take your medication regularly, control your diet, and exercise.
The most difficult aspects of diabetes are the complication. To prevent them, you can also buy an ISO-certified blood glucose machines for self-glucose testing. The most important thing is to have a balanced diet, stay away from sugary drinks, not eat too many fruits, and maintain exercise habits, in order to control the disease.