Kidney function is critical to our overall health. When our kidneys aren't functioning properly, it impacts our body's ability to clean and filter out extra water from our blood as well as helping to control our blood pressure.
With so many Americans suffering from diabetes, it is important to know the warning signs and be aware of diabetes symptoms before it is too late. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that more than 100 million Americans are affected by diabetes or prediabetes, and those numbers are steadily increasing each year. Dr. Gura is the diabetes specialist in Beverly Hills that can help you with diabetes symptoms, what to look for, and how to live with it. If you are experiencing one or more of these early warning signs, be sure to schedule a consultation today.
A major byproduct of type 2 diabetes is excessive amounts of glucose in your blood. The kidneys main goal is to flush out toxins from your blood, which is achieved by urinating. If you notice that you are using the bathroom more frequently than normal, it may be a sign that your kidneys are working overtime to flush something out. If you need to urinate every few hours or multiple times during the night without consuming lots of water, this could be a sign of something worse than the inconvenience.
A direct affect of frequent urination is feeling thirsty more often than normal because of the fluids you are losing. Frequent urination and excessive thirst go hand in hand, and you will usually see both symptoms in tandem. Another effect of being excessively thirsty is dry mouth. Dr. Gura is knowledgeable about how these symptoms interact with one another, and as a diabetes specialist in Beverly Hills, you should contact him about any questions or concerns regarding uncharacteristic problems.
High blood sugar is an outcome of diabetes, and can manifest by affecting blood flow. Reduced blood flow will make healing from cuts and sores take longer than normal. If you are experiencing cuts that just don’t seem to heal, you could possibly be suffering from diabetes without realizing it.
This high blood sugar level not only affects your blood but could affect your eyes as well. The flexible membrane of your eye has to work harder to bend when blood sugar levels change, and this could result in blurry vision because the eyes do not have time to adjust to the rapid changing levels of low and high blood sugar in the body.
If you are experiencing unexpected weight loss, most people might be happy that they are losing those unwanted pounds without having to try; however, this could be a serious warning sign. As stated above, frequent urination happens because the body has excessive glucose levels that the kidneys flush out. This could cause your body to have too little glucose and not enough fluids due to the urination, which results in weight loss.
Although weight loss and hunger may seem to be conflicting symptoms, they both are early warning signs of diabetes. Insulin is what helps administer glucose into the body; glucose is a molecule that causes a lot of the complications if not stable. Type 2 diabetes creates insulin resistance in your body that in turn creates unstable glucose levels as well. The pancreas produces more insulin to help, which sends signals to your brain that you are hungry. In this case, you have the extra insulin telling your brain that you are hungry, while the low levels of glucose are causing you to lose weight.
High blood sugar can cause nerve damage as well, which will be manifested as numbness or pain in your extremities. This nerve damage usually begins in the feet and moves upward, so be wary of any unwarranted foot numbness or pain.
There are some signs that men should specifically be looking for that might indicate diabetes, such as erectile dysfunction, low testosterone levels, and decreased sex drive and function.
There are many other symptoms of diabetes that could be early warning signs; a good rule is that if anything is out of the ordinary for an extended period of time, it is important to consult with your doctor. For any questions or concerns you have regarding any of these early warning signs, contact the diabetes specialist in Beverly Hills, Dr. Gura, by clicking here.
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