Diabetes Mellitus Symptoms

Diabetes Mellitus Symptoms

The Symptoms Of Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes Mellitus is an insidious disease that causes a whole slew of complications that can have life altering and threatening effects for anyone who suffers from it. From heart disease to kidney problems, blindness and nerve damage, recognizing the Symptoms Of Diabetes Mellitus early and getting proper medical treatment is key to managing it effects and the complications it can cause.

It is estimated that 17 million people suffer from diabetes in the United States alone. Further more nearly 5.9 million of those 17 million have not been diagnosed and are suffering the effects of not managing their condition. Many people remain undiagnosed because they do not recognize or understand their symptoms and never seek medical help until their symptoms have manifested into the later complications.

The treatment of diabetes is about managing the condition through proper diet, exercise, and medication. The sooner a positive diagnosis is made the better the chances of avoiding potential life threatening complications that this disease is known for. There is no known cure but millions of people with diabetes live normal lives through healthy lifestyle choices.

The symptoms of diabetes mellitus as listed by the American Diabetes Association include:

1. Increased Urination – Increased blood flow through the kidneys due to high blood sugar levels contributes to this.

2. Excessive Thirst – Caused by the increased urine output that brings about dehydration.

3. Hungry All the Time – Because glucose (sugar) is unable to leave the blood stream and enter the cells due to a lack of insulin or insulin resistance the cells do not get the fuel they need for energy. The body senses this energy deficit and thinks it needs more calories to fuel its metabolic processes.

4. Weight Loss – Even though the diabetic is eating more the body starts to break down its own protein and fat stores to feed the perceived lack of energy for the cells.

5. Fatigue – Decreased energy levels lead to constant feelings of fatigue and lethargy.

6. Irritability and Depression.

7. Eye Problems – High blood glucose levels cause an increase in blood volume which can cause the lens of the eye to swell.

These signs will usually start out as nothing more than minor annoyances, but with time they will increase in severity. Many people attribute them to other things and brush them aside. Many of the symptoms can be attributed to other things like the stress of everyday life which can cause fatigue, depression, and irritability.

Many people are often surprised when they are diagnosed with diabetes mellitus saying things like "I don't feel sick". Many people are visiting their doctor for other concerns when they are first diagnosed. But once they putt all their symptoms together along with the results of their blood glucose test that the doctor will order the diagnosis is easily seen.

Recognizing the symptoms of diabetes mellitus early in the disease's stages is the single most important factor when it comes to minimizing the long term complications that are associated with this disease.

About the Author

To learn more about the symptoms of diabetes mellitus please visit the web site Diabetic Diet Plans by Clicking Here.

what are the causes and symptoms of Type1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes mellitus? compare.?

Diabetes is a serious, lifelong condition that affects an estimated 20.8 million people. About 30 percent (6.2 million) do not know they have it. Each year, about 1.5 million people find out they have diabetes (1) and probably have had the disease for seven years before it was diagnosed.

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder affecting the way the body uses digested food for growth and energy. As a person eats, digestive juices break down the food into a simple sugar called glucose. Glucose is the main source of fuel for the body.
Diabetes GraphAfter digestion, glucose passes into the bloodstream to be used by body cells for growth and energy. In order for glucose to get into the cells, insulin must be present. Insulin is a hormone produced by the beta cells of the pancreas, an organ behind the stomach.

As food passes through the stomach, the pancreas is designed to automatically produce the right amount of insulin to move the glucose from the bloodstream into cells. In some people with diabetes the pancreas produces little to no insulin and in others the body cells do not respond to the available insulin. Still others have both defects. As a result glucose builds up in the blood, overflows into the urine, and passes out of the body. The body loses its main source of fuel even though the blood contains large amounts of glucose.

Diabetes mellitus is characterized by high levels of blood glucose and is associated with serious complications and premature death. With proper medical guidance much of this burden can be prevented with early detection, treatment and education.

The three most common forms of the disease are type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes

Although diabetes occurs most often in older adults, it is one of the most common chronic disorders in children in the United States. About 176,500 children, teenagers and young adults age 20 and younger have diabetes. This represents 0.22% of all people in this age group. The majority of young people with diabetes have type 1.(1)

Type 1, previously referred to as juvenile-onset or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), usually develops during childhood, adolescence, or during early adulthood and affects approximately 5 percent to 10 percent of all people with diabetes (1). Type 1 diabetes is characterized by a partial or complete loss of insulin producing beta cells as a result of an autoimmune disorder. Patients with Type 1 diabetes require daily injections of insulin. Although this disease affects only a small percentage of all people with diabetes, it is associated with a greater prevalence of premature complications and mortality than other forms of the disease.

Type 2 Diabetes

Most people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. The pancreas of people with type 2 diabetes makes insulin, but the body can't use it very well.

Type 2 diabetes is associated with older age, obesity, family History Of Diabetes, history of gestational diabetes, impaired glucose metabolism, physical inactivity, and race/ethnicity. African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American Indians, and some Asian Americans and Native Hawaiians or Other Pacific Islanders are at particularly high risk for type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is increasingly being diagnosed in children and adolescents. (1)

Type 2, previously defined as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is the most common form, affecting 90 percent to 95 percent of all people who develop diabetes (1). An insulin deficiency or resistance characterizes type 2 diabetes. The symptoms of this disorder develop gradually and are often overlooked. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that nearly 30 percent of the people with type 2 diabetes are undiagnosed (1).

SESSIONS FOR NURSES 5 - DIABETES MELLITUS

 

---

We hope you liked our selection of Diabetes Mellitus Symptoms, here a few more related products that might interest you;

 

---

Other recommended sites for Diabetes Mellitus Symptoms

 

---

Diabetes Mellitus Symptoms