Symptoms of Diabetes

Symptoms of both Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes are very similar but there is a difference in time of their occurrence. Type 1 diabetes symptoms develop very rapidly and severely, while people having Type 2 diabetes might not have any symptoms for years. Type 2 diabetes symptoms develop very slowly and because being very unspecific many people do not even consider the possibility of being affected by diabetes. However, both types of diabetes are life-threatening and for that reason is very important to seek medical assistance early enough.

The early symptoms of diabetes are directly linked to high glucose levels in the blood. When the glucose levels in the blood are too high the excess glucose is excreted by kidneys into urine. Thus one of the most characteristic symptoms of diabetes is urinary frequency (polyuria) and consequently increased thirst and appetite, dry mouth and dehydration. Because glucose which is in healthy people transformed into energy is in people with diabetes excreted in the urine unexplained weight loss is also one of common symptoms of diabetes. Symptoms which should not be ignored are also persistent tiredness and/or weakness, vision disorders, itchy skin, paresthesia (numbness) of hands and/or feet, sores that do not heal, and frequent infections such as urinary tract infections. In some people with Type 1 diabetes might also occur ketoacidosis, breakdown of fatty acids and producing of ketone bodies which acidify the blood which can cause coma if not treated immediately. Ketoacidosis is characterized for smell of acetone on the person's breath, nausea, vomiting and in children abdominal pain.

Diagnosis of diabetes is made with laboratory tests measuring the blood glucose levels which are usually repeated especially if there are no physical symptoms of diabetes. To confirm diabetes is required plasma glucose measurement when a person has not eating anything for at least 8 hours (fasting plasma glucose test). If the plasma glucose levels are higher than 126 mg/dL (7,0 mmol/l) and are confirmed by the repeated test a person is diagnosed with diabetes.