9 commonly overlooked signs of type-2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes mellitus consists of an array of dysfunctions characterized by hyperglycemia and resulting from the combination of resistance to insulin action, inadequate insulin secretion, and excessive or inappropriate glucagon secretion.

With type 2 diabetes, the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it resists insulin.

Symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urination, hunger, fatigue and blurred vision. In some cases, there may be no symptoms.

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The following are the nine commonly overlooked signed of type-2 diabetes:

1 Extreme thirst

Extreme thirst is a common early symptom of diabetes. It’s tied to high blood sugar levels, and is exacerbated by frequent urination. Often, drinking won’t satisfy the thirst.

2) Increased hunger

Your body uses the glucose in your blood to feed your cells. When this system is broken, your cells can’t absorb the glucose. As a result, your body is constantly looking for more fuel, causing persistent hunger.

3) Nerve pain or numbness

If you have type 2 diabetes, you might experience tingling or numbness in your hands, fingers, feet, and toes. This is a sign of nerve damage, or diabetic neuropathy.

4) Slow healing wounds

There are several reasons wounds will heal more slowly if you have diabetes. Over time, high blood sugar levels narrow your blood vessels, slowing blood circulation and restricting needed nutrients and oxygen from getting to wounds.

Prolonged, high blood sugar levels also damage your immune system, so your body has a harder time fighting infection.

5) Blurred vision

Blurred vision usually occurs early in unmanaged diabetes. It can be a result of suddenly high blood sugar levels, which affect the tiny blood vessels in the eyes, causing fluid to seep into the lens of the eye. The blurriness will usually resolve. Still, see an eye doctor right away.

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6)  Dark skin patches

Dark, velvety discoloration in the folds of your skin is called acanthosis nigricans. This is another early warning sign of type 2 diabetes. It’s most common in the armpits, neck, and groin regions. The skin in the affected area also becomes thickened.

7) Itchy skin

Itchy skin is often caused by diabetes, and it’s sometimes one of the first symptoms. It can be caused by a variety of conditions related to diabetes, including: yeast or fungal infection; dry skin; poor circulation, often in the lower legs

8) Dry mouth

Dry mouth is one of the most common mouth symptoms of diabetes, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDKD).

Doctors don’t know exactly why dry mouth, or xerostomia, occurs with diabetes. They believe it’s related to high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, which is related to diabetes.

9) Irritability

Mood changes that are associated with type 2 diabetes usually appear with other signs of diabetes, not on their own. A growing amount of research indicates a correlation between your moods and the seesaw changes in your blood sugar that characterize diabetes.