Six problems that may mean you’re prediabetic
IT may not click immediately, but some of the problems you may be having with your health may be indicators that you’re prediabetic.
Prediabetes is a term used to describe people who have higher than normal blood glucose but are not yet at a level to be designated as diabetics. Their sugar levels will lie between those of normal individuals and those with full-blown diabetes. Prediabetes doesn’t come with the typical symptoms of diabetes such as increased urination, increased thirst, weight loss and others, and the abnormality usually only comes to detection through a blood screen test.
But there are other signs that may indicate that you’re prediabetic, and if you’re troubled by any of these, shared by the Mayo Clinic and other medical resources, you should get tested.
Blurry vision
High blood sugar levels can cause the lens inside the eyes to swell, resulting in you seeing things in a blur. It’s one of the more common signs of diabetes — blurred vision— which refers to the loss of sharpness of vision and the inability to see fine details. This can affect one eye (unilateral blurred vision) or both (bilateral blurred vision).
Left untreated, diabetes can cause new blood vessels to form in your retina and damage established vessels. For most people, these early changes don’t cause vision problems. However, if these changes progress undetected, they can lead to vision loss and blindness.
Recurring infections
Yeast infections are more common in people with diabetes, as the high sugar levels provide the perfect conditions for candida to grow. Diabetics who have difficulty controlling their blood sugar may find themselves particularly prone to yeast infections. Note also that it can also lead to recurrent infections of the bladder.
Tingling feet
The scientific term is peripheral neuropathy, or nerve damage in the arms, legs, hands, and feet. It causes tingling and numbness, and results from high blood glucose levels damaging nerves and blood vessels. Tingling and numbness in your toes and fingers are often some of the earliest complications of diabetes.
Feeling of heat emanating from the feet
The most common cause of the feeling of heat emanating from your feet, or a burning feeling in your feet, is nerve damage, often related to diabetes. Along with burning sensations you may also have cramping or foot pain.
Irritability
Changes in blood sugar levels can affect your mood. High blood sugar can cause irritability, and when your blood sugar returns to a normal range, these symptoms often resolve. Fluctuations in blood glucose can result in rapid mood changes, including low mood and irritability. Mood changes are usually only temporary and will cease once your blood glucose levels have got back into a more balanced target range.
Swollen gums
Diabetes may weaken your ability to fight germs, which increases the risk of infection in your gums and in the bones that hold your teeth in place. Your gums may pull away from your teeth, your teeth may become loose, or you may develop sores or pockets of pus in your gums — especially if you have a gum infection before diabetes develops.
