By Doctor L Sanjay, Internal Medicine Department at Apollo Spectra Hospital Kondapur Hyderabad

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that occurs when the produced insulin is not sufficient for the body. Such a medical condition causes the body to lose its ability to produce enough insulin, due to which the glucose fails to reach the cells to be used for energy. Early-onset of diabetes can lead to a buildup of high sugar content in the blood that increases the risk of many health complications like nerve damage, eye problems, kidney disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems. 

There are three major types of diabetes like Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, and Gestational Diabetes. Each type is different from the other and affects different age groups. Type 1 is usually found in children while type 2 is commonly experienced by adults and has strong links with obesity. Gestational diabetes is also a type of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy when the body becomes less sensitive to insulin.

The early onset of diabetes may be asymptomatic and the patients do not feel the need to consult a physician till the disease progresses.

Below are a few early signs to look out for to understand the early onset of diabetes:

●      Frequent urination – Also known as Polyuria is one of the most common early warning symptoms of diabetes. Excessive or frequent urination can indicate that the blood sugar level is high in the body. To eliminate the excess sugar content, the kidneys push the sugar to flow out with the urine causing frequent urination.

●      Extreme thirst – Extreme thirst is one of the main symptoms of diabetes and it refers to a condition when drinking ample amounts of water doesn’t quench the thirst. High blood sugar level causes the muscles and the tissues in our body to get dehydrated. The body tries to pull fluid from other tissues to dilute the blood sugar level, this prompts a person to feel thirsty and drink more water.

●      Increased hunger – Also known as Polyphagia is another symptom of diabetes. Feeling hungry even after consuming sufficient amounts of food as the tissues are not able to get enough energy from the food signals to early onset diabetes. If the body is not producing enough insulin, the sugar from the food may not be able to reach the tissues to provide energy, causing extreme hunger.

●      Itchy skin – Excess sugar level in the blood causes the skin to get itchy and leads to skin infections. Moist skin areas like armpits, mouth, genitals have an itching sensation. Alongside, dark patches on the skin in areas like the neck and armpit can also be another potential symptom of diabetes.

●      Slow healing of cuts and wounds – Theonset of diabetes can narrow down the blood vessels in the body impairing blood circulation and restricting the passage of necessary nutrients and oxygen. This produces a weak immune system causing the cuts and wounds to heal slower than expected. This can also give rise to skin infections in the later stage.

If we consider making a few lifestyle changes in our daily routine, diabetes can be controlled and managed well. Eating plenty of fibre and being physically fit on an everyday basis can help one to avoid serious health complications in the long run. Also, consulting a medical expert once in a month is always recommended to monitor the blood sugar level in our body.