Recognizing Symptoms of Diabetes: Changes in Urine or Stool

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There are many symptoms of diabetes that can be noticed by observing changes in urine or stool.

Early therapeutic intervention avoids the potential health effects of high blood sugar levels.

In contrast, diabetes, when left untreated, can cause many health problems, from heart disease to nerve damage.

Dr. Chun Tang, medical director at Pall Mall Medical Center, told Express that the “early” symptoms of diabetes can affect various bodily functions, including changes in bathroom habits.

Diabetic symptoms

The following symptoms can be alarm bells.

. frequent urination

One of the “most common” symptoms of diabetes is frequent urination.

When blood sugar levels rise, the kidneys work to remove excess sugar from the bloodstream. “This leads to increased urine production, which makes people with diabetes have to use the bathroom more often.”

. difficulty urinating

While a person with diabetes may feel the need to go to the bathroom all the time, the disease can also cause nerve damage, making it difficult to pass urine.

When the nerves that control bladder function are affected, it can lead to difficulties in starting or stopping the flow of urine, resulting in uncontrolled urine flow or incontinence.

Constipation or diarrhoea

Fluctuations in blood sugar levels can affect digestive function and lead to constipation.

Uncontrolled diabetes, or certain medications used to manage the disease, can lead to digestive disorders, leading to diarrhoea.”

– Hemorrhoids

Frequent or strained bowel movements can lead to the development or worsening of hemorrhoids, and they can be “more common” in people with diabetes.

foul-smelling urine

In some cases, people with uncontrolled or undiagnosed diabetes can develop a serious condition called diabetic ketoacidosis.

This condition develops when the body begins to break down fats for energy due to a lack of insulin.

As a result, ketones (chemicals produced during the metabolism of fats) build up in the bloodstream and can be excreted through the urine, resulting in foul-smelling urine.