Don't Let Diabetes Sneak Up on You: Know These 6 Early Signs

It’s estimated that more than 38 million adults in the United States have diabetes, with nearly 9 million still undiagnosed. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that prevents your body from managing blood glucose, leading to blood vessel damage and other health complications. 

At Wynantskill Family Medicine in Wynantskill, New York, Scott Parrotta, DO, and Ritchie Parrotta, DO, can help you track your blood glucose and overall health, catching diabetes symptoms before the disease progresses. Then they continue with chronic disease management. 

Here’s what they want you to know during National Diabetes Month. 

Diabetes 101

Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are the most common forms of diabetes. Type 1 is usually diagnosed in childhood, and it’s caused by a pancreas that doesn’t create enough or any insulin. Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed later in life and is tied to a combination of heredity markers and lifestyle factors. 

Prediabetes is a term used for at-risk patients who are likely to develop Type 2 diabetes within the next five years if they don’t start a management program to lower their risk and control emerging symptoms. 

6 early signs of diabetes

Careful monitoring of your blood glucose and paying attention to your body can help you get an early diagnosis of prediabetes and allow you to make positive changes. Here are six things to look for:

1. Tingling or numbness in hands or feet

Higher-than-normal blood sugar levels maintained over time can damage the nerves in your body. Your hands and feet are particularly vulnerable to nerve damage, so you might start feeling tingling, numbness, or even pain in your extremities. 

2. Blurry vision

Consistently high blood sugar can also damage the small blood vessels inside your eyes. This first manifests as blurry vision as the pressure in your eyes increases. The main worry is that diabetic retinopathy can develop, leaving you with permanent black spots in your vision.  

3. Frequent urination

A very common sign of diabetes is the frequent need to urinate, because your kidneys are working full time to filter out the sugar that your body can’t process. If you have to urinate more frequently, especially at night, you may need your glucose levels checked. 

4. Constant thirst

Tied to the excess urination, diabetes can also cause dehydration, leading to a feeling of constant thirst. If you can’t get enough water or other liquids, you might have high blood sugar.  

5. Weight changes

Diabetes works differently in different people. Some lose weight, while others gain weight in the early stages. If you have unexplained weight loss plus any of the symptoms above, it’s time to get screened for prediabetes. 

6. Slow-healing wounds

Because high blood sugar can damage blood vessels, it also impairs your circulation. This can mean you get small cuts or wounds that don't seem to want to heal, especially on your legs and feet. With full Type 2 diabetes, this can lead to serious infections, gangrene, and even loss of a limb. 

Fortunately, diabetes doesn't have to be a given, even if you have high risk factors for the condition like immediate family members with diabetes or obeseness. We help you identify early signs of prediabetes or diabetes and make a plan to manage your condition with lifestyle changes like a sensible diet and exercise. 

Take the time to educate yourself on the early signs of diabetes. If you’re at risk, let us help you improve and maintain your well-being.  Call us at 518-333-9615 or request an appointment online today.