It is customary to qualify diabetes mellitus as an endocrinological pathology with a severe clinical picture. In this case, often the initial stages of the disease are asymptomatic or are characterized by polymorphism of manifestations. However, there are certain signs of pathology that you can learn about from the material below.
Signs of diabetes in women
Throughout life, the body of the weaker sex undergoes numerous hormonal changes. These changes often result in the development of type 2 diabetes. It should also be borne in mind that women are more prone to "jamming" psychological problems with a large amount of junk food. This behavior also negatively affects the course of metabolic processes.
As for type 1 diabetes, it develops in young girls under 25 and does not depend on hormonal status. At the same time, women during pregnancy are at risk, who are often diagnosed with symptoms of the gestational form of the disease, which is transient. Common symptoms of diabetes in women include:
- slow wound healing;
- drowsiness;
- hair loss;
- itching of the most different localization;
- constant thirst;
- weight loss without diets;
- increased appetite;
- frequent profuse urination.
Symptoms of diabetes in men
The stronger sex, for the most part, prefers to ignore the alarming signals of the body about problems. Against the background of abdominal obesity in men, there is often a relative insufficiency in the production of the glucose transporter hormone. Unlike epinephrine, insulin is not able to effectively break down accumulated deposits. Due to the active activity of the stress hormone, a large amount of fatty acids rush to the liver, preventing the normal nutrition of tissues due to glucose. In general, the symptoms of diabetes in men are identical to those in women.
How does diabetes manifest itself in children?
A high blood glucose level in a child may be due to obesity or a genetic predisposition. Nevertheless, in the scientific community there are often discussions regarding the infectious nature of this phenomenon. Such views can be supplemented by the statements of some experts who consider diabetes mellitus (especially juvenile) as a post-vaccination complication. As a result, adults should respond appropriately if a child develops the following symptoms after vaccination:
- constant thirst;
- bed-wetting;
- vomit;
- weight loss against the background of increased appetite;
- private skin infections;
- decrease in motor and mental activity.
First signs
It is not easy to recognize the disease at an early stage of development due to the polymorphism of its signs. As a rule, body signals are mistaken for overexertion and fatigue. The clinical picture in the secondary form of pathology may be completely absent until the patient falls into a hyperglycemic coma or suffers a heart attack or stroke. The disease of the first type, for the most part, is manifested initially by severe conditions in the form of characteristic acute attacks. However, it is important to note that the first symptoms of diabetes may include:
- The patient cannot lift his big toe off the floor.
- When the palms touch, only the fingertips are in the zone of direct contact.
- There is bedwetting (if it is a child).
- There are dental problems.
- There is a sharp deterioration in vision.
Symptoms of latent diabetes
In most cases, the disease develops unnoticed by a person. The manifestation of a hidden process occurs against the background of stress, infectious and autoimmune lesions of the body. At the same time, latent diabetes mellitus is considered more dangerous than overt diabetes. Experts note that with a latent form of the disease, the negative consequences of pancreatic dysfunction are often diagnosed, among which the so-called diabetic foot syndrome occupies a special place. In this regard, it would be appropriate to name the main symptoms of latent diabetes:
- feeling of dryness in the mouth;
- headache;
- detection of acetone in the analysis of urine;
- increased fatigue.
How to distinguish the type of diabetes
It is known that high blood sugar levels appear as a result of carbohydrate metabolism disorders. Highlighting any symptoms of diabetes in men, women or children, it is important to mention that each form of pathology differs in the degree of damage to special cells (islets of Langerhans) located in the body of the pancreas and synthesizing much-needed insulin for the body. With the complete defeat of these formations, the production of biologically active substances necessary for the transport of glucose becomes impossible.
The second type of diabetes disease is characterized by the preservation of the functional activity of the islets of Langerhans, but the insulin produced in this case is not able to deliver glucose to tissues and organs due to the high concentration of fatty acids in the human body. Patients with this type of pathology with an active lifestyle and a special diet often do without parenteral administration of the hormone.
Symptoms in type 1
As noted earlier, the development of absolute insufficiency of insulin production begins with an acute reaction of the body to an increase in blood sugar. It also happens that a person is aware that he has a high risk of developing such problems. In this situation, the patient undergoes preventive examinations in order to timely detect the disease. With this approach, the process rarely escalates. Meanwhile, in people suffering from type 1 diabetes, hypoglycemia often occurs due to incorrect dosage of insulin. In addition, in the primary form of pathology, it is noted:
- strong thirst;
- the smell of acetone from the mouth;
- consumption of a large amount of a wide variety of foods;
- polyuria;
- slow healing of the wound surface;
- diabetic ketoacidosis;
- skin problems in the form of frequent fungal infections and boils.
How does type 2 manifest itself?
The relative insufficiency of insulin production has a smoother clinical picture. The patient's sugar level can remain within the normal range for a long time. The results of the tests, as a rule, change for the worse when diabetes becomes acute. Up to this point, patients do not attach importance to a sharp weight loss and a decrease in physical activity. In addition to the above signs, in type 2 diabetes, the following changes in the functioning of the body can be observed:
- fast fatiguability;
- drowsiness;
- osteoporosis;
- tired appearance;
- kidney pathology, often leading to diabetic nephropathy;
- non-healing wounds on the skin;
- itching;
- sudden hair loss;
- disorientation;
- tingling and numbness of the extremities.