JAKARTA– The World Health Organization (WHO) says that around 422 million people in the world suffer from diabetes, the majority of which are recorded in low and middle income countries. Along with the high prevalence of cases, the death rate is also recorded to exceed 1.5 million people every year.
Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by increased blood sugar levels. If not treated further, it can cause serious complications that result in damage to other organs including the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves.
The most common type of diabetes is type 2 diabetes. This condition occurs more often in adults, making the body resistant to insulin or not producing enough insulin. In the last 3 decades, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes has increased drastically in countries at all income levels. All countries are targeting to reduce diabetes cases in a global agreement, a maximum of 2025.
Type 2 diabetes can occur gradually, and symptoms tend to be mild in the initial phase. As a result, many people may not realize they have type 2 diabetes.
The following are early signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes that are often not realized:
1. Frequent urination
When blood sugar levels are high, the kidneys try to get rid of the excess sugar by filtering it out of the blood. This can cause a person to urinate more frequently, especially at night.
2. Often feel thirsty
Frequent urination necessary to remove excess sugar from the blood can cause the body to lose a lot of water. Over time, this triggers dehydration and makes a person feel thirstier than usual.
3. Get hungry easily
People with diabetes often do not get enough energy from their food.
The digestive system breaks down food into simple sugars called glucose, which the body uses as fuel. In people with diabetes, there is not enough glucose moving from the bloodstream to the body’s cells.
As a result, people with type 2 diabetes often feel hungry constantly, no matter how long they eat.
4. Fatigue
Type 2 diabetes can affect a person’s energy levels and cause them to feel tired.
Fatigue due to diabetes occurs due to a lack of sugar moving from the bloodstream to the body’s cells.
5. Blurred Vision
Excess sugar in the blood can damage the small blood vessels in the eyes, causing blurred vision. This can occur in one or both eyes.
High blood sugar levels can also cause swelling of the eye lens. This may cause blurred vision, but will improve as blood sugar levels decrease.
If people with diabetes are not treated, damage to these blood vessels can become more severe, and permanent vision loss can eventually occur.
6. Slow healing of wounds
High sugar levels in the blood can damage the body’s nerves and blood vessels, disrupting blood circulation. As a result, even small wounds may take weeks or months to heal. Slow wound healing also increases the risk of infection.
7. Tingling or Numbness
High blood sugar levels can affect blood circulation and damage nerves. In people with type 2 diabetes, this can cause pain or a tingling sensation or numbness in the hands and feet.
This condition is known as neuropathy. The disease worsens over time and causes more serious complications if a person does not receive treatment for their diabetes.
8. Darker Skin Patches
Darker skin patches that form in the folds of the neck, armpits, or groin can also be caused by diabetes. These patches may feel soft and tender.
This skin condition is known as acanthosis nigricans.
9. Itching and fungal infections
Excess sugar in the blood and urine is ‘like’ food for fungi, which can cause infection. Fungal infections tend to occur in warm, moist areas of the skin, such as the mouth, genital area and armpits.
The affected area usually feels itchy, but a person may also experience burning, skin discoloration, and pain.
(source: detik.com)
2024-01-20 17:02:34
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