The Symptoms of Diabetes Mellitus
When a person has diabetes mellitus, their blood sugar is elevated. The elevated sugar in the bloodstream is what causes the symptoms. The most common symptoms are:
Frequent urge to urinate (Polyuria)
As the body tries to get rid of the extra sugar that is in the blood stream, water is drawn from the tissues and an increased amount of urine is produced. The person may notice that he or she has to get up several times in the night to urinate. If it is a child with this symptom, the child may suddenly starts to wet the bed during the night.
Extreme Thirst (Polydipsia)
The increased thirst is caused by the body’s need to replace the fluids lost through increased urination.
Excessive Hunger (Polyphagia)
The increased hunger is caused by the body’s need for energy because it cannot move the sugar in the bloodstream to the cells of the body where it is needed.
Fatigue, Weakness and Weight Loss
These symptoms occur when the body can neither use the blood sugar for fuel (the blood sugar is not being transported into the cells that need it) nor can the body store the excess sugar that is in the blood stream.
Infections, Slow Healing Of Wounds
The high sugar environment is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and yeast. A person with a high blood sugar oftentimes develops vaginal infections and urinary tract infections.
Pain, Numbness or Tingling in the Extremities – Trouble Getting and Maintaining an Erection
This is caused by a build up of sugar which damages the nerves and small blood vessels in these areas.
Itchy Skin
Tiny sugar crystals just beneath the surface of the skin causes someone with diabetes to feel itchy.
Vision Changes
Microscopic bleeding in the retina and dehydration causes change in the vision such as blurring of vision.
Dehydration
This occurs when body fluid is lost and is not adequately replaced.
Serious Signs and Symptoms
Serious symptoms of diabetes mellitus include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, flushed skin and a musty or fruity odour to the breath. These are the symptoms of very high blood sugar. These symptoms are more often seen in someone that has type 1 diabetes. If a person has these symptoms it is very important to contact a doctor right away and be followed up with testing.