Type 2 diabetes has gained the status of “true epidemic” in the United States, with at least 30 million adults are suffering from disease, and 84 million have been diagnosed with the prediabetic condition. A lot of prediabetic people are unaware of the risk they are exposed to. Also, a lot of people who are type 2 diabetic have not been diagnosed, and they are at massive health risk.

Now there is a surprisingly common fact about type 2 diabetes that it does not have any obvious symptoms at start. There are only mild symptoms that make it difficult to identify if it is type 2 diabetes or not. Here are some common indications of type 2 diabetes:

1) Frequent Urination

One of the most common and indicating symptoms of type 2 diabetes is frequent urination1. The need for frequent urination is defined polyuria in medical terms, and this condition means that there is a high amount of sugar in your blood. In this condition, our kidneys fail to keep pace with the blood sugar levels, and it is excreted through urination.

2) Constant Thirst

Drinking a lot of water but still feeling thirsty is not a good sign for your health2. High levels of blood glucose induce a craving for water, and when you keep drinking more than body requirement, it causes frequent urination.

3) Continual Hunger

In addition to “never dying” thirst, feeling hungry after having normal meals can be another symptom of type 2 diabetes3. Constantly craving for food is medically defined as polyphagia. Polyphagia is a condition in which our body fails to feed our body cells with glucose, and this makes us crave for more and more food.

4) Slower Healing

If your wounds, cuts, or scrapes are not healing normally (as in healthy people), then this can be due to type 2 diabetes. Blood vessels start shrinking when the blood glucose levels are high. This reduces the flow of blood circulation and prevents oxygen and nutrients from getting to the wound, and this is how the healing process is disturbed.

5) Itchiness and Frequent Yeast Infections

Another common symptom of type 2 diabetes is an increase in yeast infections4. If you are experiencing a sudden or even gradual increase in yeast infections in your body, you must consult a doctor. Yeast infections are a commonality in type 2 diabetics. Diabetes increases blood glucose levels and causes frequent urination, which works as a perfect base for yeast infections. This infection mostly attacks moist and warm places such as armpits, mouth, genital areas, etc.

Keeping Up-To-Date Is Key

There are high chances of you missing these early symptoms, and if this disease is not diagnosed and treated early, it can be very deadly. It is you who must be aware of the symptoms and other details about the type 2 diabetes. Doing your own research and keeping yourself updated is the best possible way to keep the danger at bay. If you are aware of its causes, symptoms, and treatments, it will be easy for you to keep things under control even if you are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

1. https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes/early-warning-signs-type-2-diabetes#frequent-urination
2. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-2-diabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20351193
3. https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes-symptoms
4. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323185#early-signs-and-symptoms