[Recognize Diabetes!] A Thorough Explanation of Early Symptoms of Diabetes

When young or healthy people hear the word "diabetes," do they think of it as a disease that "doesn't concern them"?

According to data from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), there are approximately 400 million people with diabetes worldwide, and the Western Pacific region, including Japan, has the highest number of diabetes patients.

Diabetes is a fairly common disease among Japanese people.

 

In this article, we will explain in detail what diabetes is and the early symptoms that can be considered signs of diabetes.

 

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease in which blood sugar levels remain high for extended periods due to a deficiency in insulin, a hormone that lowers blood sugar, or due to insulin resistance, leading to various complications.

 

Diabetes can be classified into the following types:

1. Type 1 Diabetes
2. type 2 diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes develops when insulin-producing cells are destroyed for some reason, resulting in an insulin deficiency.

It can develop regardless of lifestyle or obesity, and is more common in children and young people.

 

type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes develops due to a combination of various genetic factors that lead to decreased insulin secretion or insulin resistance, as well as irregular lifestyle habits and unhealthy habits.

These are also known as lifestyle-related diseases and are common in middle-aged and older adults.

 

7 Early Symptoms of Diabetes

The early symptoms of diabetes are as follows:

 

1. I'm thirsty.
2. Weight loss
3. My legs are numb.
4. The feeling of hunger continues
5. You get tired easily
6. Increased frequency of urination
7. Increased susceptibility to infectious diseases

We will explain each item in detail.

 

I'm thirsty.

If blood sugar levels remain high for an extended period, the body becomes dehydrated and the blood thickens. The brain perceives this as a lack of water, causing thirst.

 

Weight loss

Insulin plays a role in drawing sugar into cells and converting it into energy, but in diabetes, insulin becomes insufficient, preventing cells from receiving energy.

Instead, your body breaks down proteins such as muscle and fat to convert them into energy, causing you to lose weight.

 

My legs are numb.

If high blood sugar levels persist, it can damage blood vessels.

Capillaries, in particular, are susceptible to damage, and this damage to capillaries negatively impacts the autonomic nervous system.

Besides numbness in the feet, you may also experience increased leg cramps and skin problems on your feet.

 

The feeling of hunger continues

When you have diabetes, your body can't properly secrete insulin, which prevents it from delivering energy to your cells.

Therefore, the brain mistakenly perceives a lack of nutrients and sends out hunger signals in an attempt to replenish energy.

 

You get tired easily

When blood sugar levels are high, you become very easily fatigued.

The reason you get tired easily is that energy is not being delivered to your cells properly.

Because cells quickly experience energy depletion, many people are complaining of fatigue.

 

Increased frequency of urination

When you have diabetes, your kidneys excrete more sugar, and consequently, more water is also excreted, leading to more frequent urination.

Furthermore, high blood sugar levels cause thirst, leading to increased fluid intake and therefore more frequent urination.

 

Increased susceptibility to infectious diseases

If high blood sugar levels persist, the function of immune cells decreases, making you more susceptible to infections.

Furthermore, once you contract an infection, it's difficult to cure and tends to worsen. This is because high blood sugar levels mean there's a lot of sugar in the blood, and that sugar becomes a nutrient source for bacteria, leading to a worsening of the condition.

 

What happens if diabetes worsens?

If diabetes worsens, the following complications may occur:

• Diabetic neuropathy
• diabetic retinopathy
• diabetic nephropathy

We will explain each complication in detail.

 

Diabetic neuropathy

Diabetic neuropathy occurs because high blood sugar levels damage the peripheral nerves.

If autonomic nervous system dysfunction occurs, diarrhea, constipation, and urinary problems may occur. If sensory or motor nerve dysfunction occurs, numbness, coldness, spontaneous pain, paresthesia, hypoesthesia, and muscle cramps are common.

 

diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a complication that occurs when high blood sugar levels damage the capillaries in the retina at the back of the eye.

 

In the early stages, there are no noticeable symptoms, but gradually, blurred vision may develop.

As it progresses, vision can rapidly deteriorate, and in the worst-case scenario, it can lead to blindness, so caution is necessary.

 

diabetic nephropathy

Diabetic nephropathy occurs when high blood sugar levels damage the glomeruli, the tissues that filter urine.

Initial symptoms are usually minimal, but as the disease progresses, protein may appear in the urine, and symptoms such as swelling, fatigue, and anemia may develop.

If the condition progresses further, the glomeruli will no longer be able to filter urine, requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant.

 

[Summary] Don't overlook the signs of diabetes | Early treatment can prevent worsening of the condition

As diabetes progresses, it can lead to various complications.

In the early stages, there are often no noticeable symptoms, but it is important not to overlook even the slightest signs.

 

If the complications worsen, they could drastically change your life, potentially leading to blindness or the need for dialysis, and you may no longer be able to live the same life as before.

 

 

To avoid diabetes, which can lead to serious complications, we recommend seeking early medical attention to get a thorough understanding of your physical condition.

 

Omotesando Helene Clinic specializes in regenerative medicine that is gentle on the body, and offers pre-treatment consultations for those who are hesitant to start treatment immediately.

Diabetes is related to lifestyle habits such as obesity, excessive alcohol consumption, and smoking, but it is generally said to be difficult to improve these lifestyle habits.

Therefore, by using "regenerative medicine" that utilizes the patient's own stem cells, it becomes possible to repair weakened cells in the body using the patient's own cells, thereby preventing and improving diabetes and its complications.

"I'm concerned, but I can't decide if prevention is really necessary right now." "I haven't decided whether to get treatment, but I'd like to hear more first." Even in such cases, there's absolutely no problem. Sometimes, you might be unknowingly facing a life-threatening risk, so...Please feel free to contact us anytime.

• Inquiry form (LINE, WeChat, email support):https://heleneclinic.com/contact/

[Regenerative Medicine Outpatient Clinic] 03-3400-2277

 

 

Supervised by: Dr. Yasushi Tsuda