Look Out for These Symptoms of Diabetes
Do you know when something’s going wrong in your body? Sure – you usually have symptoms such as pain, swelling, coughing, or fever. And you fix them, perhaps after a visit to the doctor. However, the human body isn’t always so direct. Some symptoms can be elusive, and you may not recognize them as problematic. Diabetes is one of those diseases that can be difficult to detect on your own.
The Centers for Disease Control estimates there are 37 million people with diabetes in the U.S. – but 7.4 million don’t even know it. What’s more, 96 million have prediabetes; a whopping 80% of them don’t even know it. What’s everybody missing – and why does it matter?
Symptoms you might miss
- You’re tired all the time. Resist the urge to chalk up being tired all the time to a stressful job or lack of sleep. Constant fatigue should be a red flag.
- Your skin takes a long time to heal – or it won’t heal at all.
- You’re always hungry – that’s a sign that your blood sugar is out of balance.
- You’ve lost weight – and you weren’t even trying.
- You have to pee a lot – that’s your body’s way of trying to eliminate extra sugar.
- You get frequent yeast infections – normal yeast levels in the body increase when there’s a lot of glucose (sugar) to feed on.
- Things look blurry to you – high blood sugar can cause vision changes.
Why does it matter that you recognize the symptoms of diabetes?
Diabetes affects nerves and blood vessels throughout the body. It’s linked to kidney disease, vision loss, heart problems, and more. Foot issues abound, ranging from numbness to amputation. When you recognize the symptoms, you may be able to make changes in your lifestyle to slow down or prevent the progress of the disease.
Our experienced podiatric surgeons, Dr. Craig B. Frey, Dr. Megan L. Oltmann, and Dr. Jim Swienconek, encourage you to learn more about diabetes and your feet. If you’d like to discuss any symptoms you’re having, call Foot & Ankle Associates of Cleveland in Solon, Ohio at (440) 903-1041 or contact us online to schedule a consultation. We offer a modern office with the latest technology for podiatric patients in Portage, Geauga, Cuyahoga, and Summit Counties, proudly serving our patients from Solon, Aurora, Bedford, Chagrin Falls, Hudson, Macedonia, and Twinsburg.
