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Early Signs of Diabetes

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Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) disease that occurs when your glucose or blood sugar levels are too high.  Having diabetes affects the body’s ability to make enough insulin (a hormone produced by the pancreas) or use it properly.

Insulin is needed to move glucose from our bloodstream into our cells, where it is converted into energy. If glucose is not moved into our cells, too much of it remains in the bloodstream.

Consistently high blood sugar left untreated can lead to complications or other serious health problems, including:

  • Damage to the eyes (potentially leading to blindness)
  • Heart disease
  • Neuropathy or nerve damage
  • Kidney damage or kidney disease
  • Vascular disease
  • Limb loss
  • Stroke
  • Foot ulcers

Recognizing the early signs of diabetes and getting treatment promptly can help minimize the risk of health complications.  Here are some of the early signs of the disease to be aware of:

  • Increased thirst
  • Extreme hunger
  • Frequent urination
  • Blurred vision
  • Slow-healing wounds or infections
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Numbness or tingling in the hands, legs, or feet
  • Fatigue
  • Dry mouth
  • Acanthosis nigricans (a condition characterized by darkening of the skin in certain places, such as the neck and armpits)
  • Stroke

If you are experiencing these symptoms, please schedule an appointment with your doctor.  Doctors diagnose diabetes through tests that may include glucose tolerance tests, A1C tests, or fasting blood sugar tests.  If it is determined that you have diabetes, your physician may prescribe medications and make recommendations for lifestyle changes.

To schedule an appointment with a doctor at Flushing Hospital Medical Center, please call 718-670-5486.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.