From nationworldnews.com
A primary care doctor can diagnose diabetes with a simple blood test. National guidelines suggest that patients over the age of 45 should be screened for type 2 diabetes at least every three years, but experts say you should see your doctor as soon as possible if you have any signs or symptoms. Should only ask to test.
In addition to excessive thirst and frequent urination, the following are other indicators of diabetes or prediabetes:
1. Chronic candidiasis
High blood sugar levels due to diabetes weaken the immune system, making it harder for the body to fight off infections.
Chronic vaginal yeast infections are especially common in diabetic women who aren’t treated because excess blood sugar encourages yeast growth, says endocrinologist Dr. Mark Guido of Novant Health Forsyth Endocrine Consultants in Winston Salem, North Carolina. .
Other types of frequent infections—such as skin, bladder, or urinary tract infections—can also indicate diabetes.
Bajaj says that primary care doctors don’t always think about the connection between chronic infections and diabetes. For this reason, he recommends that you ask your doctor for a screening test if you have frequent infections.
2. Blurred vision
If it looks like you need to update your eyeglass correction more often, you should get tested for diabetes. Rapid changes in blood sugar levels can cause the lenses of your eyes to become cloudy or swollen, causing blurred vision.
“People think they need new glasses, but it can actually be a sign of diabetes,” says Bajaj.
If left untreated, diabetes can damage the blood vessels at the back of the eye, which can lead to cataracts, glaucoma, and blindness.
3. Venereal disease
Erectile dysfunction—when a man is unable to achieve or maintain an erection—is common among diabetic men.
A 2017 systematic meta-analysis found that approximately 66% of men with type 2 diabetes experienced sexual performance problems, and men with diabetes were approximately 3.5 times more likely to experience erectile dysfunction than men without diabetes.
Other studies indicate that both men and women who do not control their diabetes well report a decrease in sexual desire. According to the American Diabetes Association, researchers believe that the inflammation that diabetes causes may affect the part of the brain that controls sexual desire. Low testosterone levels may also play a role.
4. Nausea or Constipation
High blood sugar can slow down the digestive process and cause nausea, constipation or upset stomach.
“You think you have the stomach flu, you go to the doctor, they do some tests and it turns out your glucose level is very high,” says Bajaj.
A typical gastrointestinal illness usually lasts no more than two or three days. If you have nausea, constipation, or vomiting that lasts longer than this, something else may be causing the problem, Bajaj says, and screening for diabetes should be part of your doctor’s recommendations.
5. Injury that takes time to heal
If you have a cut or scrape that takes a long time to heal, it could be due to diabetes. The extra sugar in the blood of a diabetic is known to slow wound healing, leaving you more vulnerable to infection, says Guido.
For this reason, surgeons often ask patients to be tested for diabetes before an operation, and this can lead to a diabetes diagnosis, Guido says.
“It is not unusual for an older adult who needs knee surgery to be found to have diabetes by pre-op tests,” he says.
No comments:
Post a Comment