Know the symptoms, signs of diabetes should any modern person, because the prevalence of the disease from year to year is becoming wider and wider. The term is used to denote such a pathology, when there is not enough insulin in the body, against the background of which metabolic problems are observed. Diabetes is accompanied by hyperglycemia, the concentration of sugars in the urine increases. The disease provokes numerous complications, is life-threatening, is chronic and forces you to constantly adhere to a special diet, use maintenance medications.
Important points
Know the first symptoms of diabetes should all modern people, as a huge percentage of the population is at risk. The disease is provoked by hereditary factors, injuries received - not only physical, but also mental. There is a risk of improper metabolism during pregnancy and under the influence of a harmful virus. Problems in the functioning of blood vessels, excess weight, autoimmune pathologies lead to diabetes.
Against the background of insulin deficiency, the concentration of this hormone incirculatory system. The relative decrease in the activity of the hormone is sometimes explained by increased protein binding coefficients or the destructive activity of liver enzymes. Excesses in the body of insulin antagonists can play a role. These are of two types: hormonal, non-hormonal. Another cause of diabetes is the correction of the level of sensitivity to this hormone of tissues dependent on insulin. Specific conditions, features make it possible to classify whether a person has type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Each of the forms has its own specifics, requires a different therapeutic approach, manifests itself with distinctive symptoms.
Disease: what is observed?
Lack of insulin, resistance of tissue connections provokes problems of metabolic processes of various compounds - fats, carbohydrates, proteins. Glucose does not pass through the membranes of cells that form muscles, adipose tissue, hyperglycemia is observed. The first symptom of diabetes mellitus is an increased urge to urinate, also due to metabolic disorders. At the same time, polydipsia develops. Fats break down more actively, but the formation of such structures is deactivated, which is why the concentration of ketone bodies increases in the circulatory system. The balance of acids and alkalis shifts, acidosis is observed, due to which the excretion of potassium ions is activated. Together with urine, magnesium and sodium are excreted from the body. Against the background of such processes, kidney failure is soon observed.
One of the symptoms of diabetes is a violationalkaline reserve, downgrading to 7, 0-7, 2 units. Triglycerides are formed in the liver, which is explained by the active entry of non-esterified fatty compounds into this organ. Cholesterol is generated quite actively. Protein synthesis is inhibited, antibodies are produced less efficiently, which makes a person vulnerable to infections. Over time, dysproteinemia manifests itself, in which alpha-globulins are fixed in the blood to a greater extent, but the amount of albumin decreases relative to the norm. Increased frequency of urination causes dehydration. The body actively loses chlorides and calcium. Washout of phosphorus, potassium, nitrogenous compounds is observed.
What happens?
It is customary to distinguish between insulin-dependent and insulin-dependent diabetes, as well as a disease caused by insufficient human diet. There are some other syndromes, conditions that provoke the disease. Diabetes can be caused by dysfunction of the pancreas, which affects the hormonal background. Diabetes can be provoked by certain medications and chemicals. Sometimes the disease is explained by genetic characteristics, insulin, receptor changes, a violation of tolerance, in which the weight remains normal. Often in clinical practice, symptoms of gestational diabetes mellitus, that is, a disease observed during pregnancy, are recorded.
From the statistics it is clear that such forms of the disease are most often observed when in the morning hours in the patient's blood glucose levels are normal, but the parameter increases significantly if with foodcarbohydrates are supplied from the easily digestible class. In this case, they speak of intolerance of the body. In addition to this disease, true diabetes is distinguished, divided into two types - insulin dependent and non-insulin dependent. These diseases can affect both overweight and normal weight individuals.
Insulin-dependent type: what to look for?
Treatment of the symptoms of this type of diabetes mellitus is more relevant for patients twenty-five years of age and younger. The disease proceeds brightly, its symptoms are clearly expressed, the course is predominantly labile. Patients are characterized by the accumulation of ketone bodies, hypoglycemia. The onset is usually acute, coma is possible. When analyzing blood, insulin, C-peptide are either not detected at all, or are present in a much smaller amount. You can suspect the disease by constantly tormenting thirst. Dry mouth, frequent urge to urinate. Quite often patients unpredictably lose weight, feel weak, working capacity decreases, appetite becomes more active. In diabetes, the skin, perineum may itch, and boils form. Pyoderma is often observed.
For the type described, the symptoms of diabetes in children and adults include sleep problems, mood swings and a tendency to be irritable. Many complain of a sore head, soreness in the region of the heart and muscle fibers of the legs in the calves. For patients with diabetes of this type, the risk of contracting tuberculosis is higher, there is a danger of inflammatory processes affecting the kidneys, the system of urine excretion pathways from the body. Considerablethe percentage of diabetics are sick with pyelonephritis, pyelitis. Blood tests show elevated glucose levels. The severity of symptoms is directly determined by the stage of the disease, the duration of its course, the specific individual qualities of the patient.
When you notice these types of diabetes symptoms, you should make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. The first form of the disease develops quickly, soon provokes a deterioration in well-being. The consequences of the disease can be quite severe, up to coma and death.
Insulin independent type
If there are symptoms of diabetes in women after 30 years of age, in men of middle age and older, it is highly likely that we are talking about the second type of disease. It is more characteristic of people with excess body weight. The disease begins secretly, proceeds inconspicuously, the symptoms are rather weakly expressed. In a blood test, the parameters of C-peptide, insulin are close to normal, sometimes they are higher than standard. There are many cases when the disease was established only by chance during a routine examination or in a state where diabetes led to complications. Ketone bodies do not accumulate in the circulatory system. Therapy involves a special diet and the use of medications. The choice of names remains with the doctor.
The presence of negative consequences, the nature of the development of the disease, the level of glycemia allow the patient to be classified as one of the three groups of diabetics. With a mild degree of the disease, it is enoughnutrition normalization. More often, this category includes persons who have an insulin-independent type. Retinopathy may develop. The average severity of diabetes requires the use of medications. Patients are required to adhere to a special diet. The disease is accompanied by mild microangiopathy. The severe form proceeds labile, daily it is necessary to receive a compensatory dose of insulin from 60 units or more. In this form, diabetes is accompanied by numerous he alth disorders, including retinopathy (up to the fourth degree), nephropathy, and neuropathy. In severe diabetes mellitus, work capacity suffers greatly.
Relevance of the problem
As experts say, many of our compatriots do not know what symptoms are observed in diabetes, so they do not go to the doctor when the first signs of pathology appear. It follows from the statistics that for every official patient there are up to four diabetics who do not know about their status. For the first time, the topic of diabetes mellitus and the treatment of this disease was thoroughly considered in 1921, when Frederick Banting presented his report on the production of insulin. More than one year has been spent on the development of a drug that can alleviate the condition of diabetics. His discovery did not go unnoticed, because both in former times and today the number of diabetics around the world is huge. The disease does not distinguish between gender and age; women, men, and children also suffer. Currently, among other endocrine pathologies, it is DM that ranks first in terms of prevalence. The number of cases of diagnosing the disease from year to year is inexorably growing.
You can prevent serious consequences if you detect a disease at the very beginning of its development. The correct approach to the correction of the condition allows you to live a long, fulfilling life. It is possible to suspect that the time has come to visit a doctor if a person constantly feels thirsty, hungry. This is precisely the first symptoms of diabetes mellitus that attract the attention of even a layman who does not have a medical education. The patient often eats, but this may be accompanied by weight loss. The skin itches, the mouth dries, visual acuity suffers. Quite often pulls to visit the toilet. If a drop of urine remains on the clothes, a white spot appears upon drying, similar to a starch trace. With diabetes, many tend to sleep, the body weakens, there is no strength for anything. However, do not wait until all the described phenomena manifest themselves in full. If at least one symptom is observed, it is already possible to suspect the disease and make an appointment with an endocrinologist. Those who already had diabetics among their close relatives should be especially careful.
About blood quality
It is known that non-standard blood counts are the most striking and indisputable symptom of diabetes mellitus. The norm of glucose on average is 3.3-5.5 mmol / l. Doctors advise checking this parameter at least once every four years, because at first diabetes goes unnoticed. Only constant checks help to notice deviations from a he althy state in time. Cases are known when no manifestationsDiabetes was not observed for 12 years from the onset of the disease. However, it is not necessary to make an appointment with a doctor if this is not possible. It makes sense to acquire a special device for determining blood glucose levels. This allows you to take data at least every day. The approach of diabetes is evidenced by parameters close to 5.55-6.94 mmol/l. If the device shows just such values, you should not pull - you need a doctor's consultation and a full examination of the body. If a person belongs to the risk group for the disease in question, it is recommended to take blood tests at least once every year.
Especially attentive to the symptoms and signs of diabetes in children and adults should be those for whom the likelihood of developing the disease is greater. Since pathology is often provoked by genetic factors, there are more chances of a pathological condition if relatives have diabetes. It is important to constantly monitor blood sugar levels, if the pressure is high, there are extra pounds. An increased concentration of cholesterol in the circulatory system is another factor associated with a high risk of developing the disease. Overeating, regular stressful situations can affect. The risk group for diabetes includes people whose lifestyle is associated with insufficient physical activity.
Some features of the disease
As you can see from the presented photos, the symptom of diabetes mellitus, the most familiar to many, is an increased indicator of sugar in the blood. If the disease develops according to the first type, it often affects young people, and to cure such a problemvery difficult. A characteristic feature is the so-called diabetic honeymoon. This term refers to the state when treatment with insulin is just beginning. The disease is compensated, remission is observed, the patient does not need insulin, the body works normally, resorting only to its own resources. The situation is sharply disturbed if a person is faced with aggressive factors that can upset the balance. This can be provoked by infection with a virus, a stressful situation or physical trauma. After that, diabetes is activated, decompensation is observed, and serious complications soon appear.
Type 2 manifests itself somewhat differently. Symptoms of diabetes mellitus in this situation are observed gradually, there is no decompensation phenomenon. The disease often develops at the age of 40 years and older. The majority of patients are women. The first sign by which you can notice the disease is a violation of weight in a big way. Together with the primary manifestation, being overweight is a risk factor. At the same time, patients are mostly unaware of their problem. It is possible to suspect the disease by the complications provoked by it. A dermatologist can send a blood test for sugar if the patient came with a fungal disease, a gynecologist if the patient complains of itching in the perineum, a neuropathologist if the reason for visiting the clinic is neuropathy.
Diagnosis: how to identify?
If there are symptoms of type 2 or type 1 diabetes, it makes sense to consult a doctor for timely diagnosishe alth status. The first analysis that is prescribed to a potential patient is a blood test. You will have to take it on an empty stomach in the morning. Normally, glucose is found in the range of 3.3-5.5 mmol / l. Ketone bodies are present at a concentration of no more than one tenth of a millimole per liter of liquid. Hemoglobin is estimated at 4-6%. Immunoreactive insulin is found in the amount of 86-180 nmol / l. The first type of diabetes is characterized by a decrease in this value, the second - by indicators above the norm. When analyzing urine in a he althy person, neither sugars nor acetone can be detected in the fluid secreted by the body, there are only traces of ketone bodies. To determine how much the kidneys have suffered from the disease, a general urine test should be done to assess the performance of the organ. To identify a negative effect on the retina, the patient is referred to an ophthalmologist to examine the fundus, and to determine the state of the vascular system, dopplerography by ultrasound, capillaroscopy of the integument is prescribed.
It also happens that the symptoms of diabetes in women after 50 or men are present, but are mild, and studies of biological fluids do not give a final result, the indicators are doubtful. In such a situation, a glucose tolerance test is performed. To do this, first take the indicators in the morning, on an empty stomach, and then eat a certain amount of carbohydrates, called a test breakfast. After a couple of hours, determine how much the glucose readings have changed. If a person is sick, on an empty stomach the parameter reaches 6.1 mmol / l or more, anda couple of hours after the test meal, the devices record 11.1 mmol / l, sometimes this threshold is exceeded.
How to fight?
If symptoms of diabetes mellitus are noticeable in women after eating or in men, if the tests confirmed the assumption and it was possible to accurately diagnose, then measures should be taken to maintain the strength of the body. The very first thing a person can do is to get an appointment with a qualified endocrinologist. The doctor chooses a comprehensive therapeutic program, focusing on the specifics of the case. They usually start with choosing the right food. The task of a diabetic is to completely eliminate easily digestible carbohydrates, as well as animal fats. Eat often, in small portions. If a disease of the first type is established, insulin is prescribed. The dose is chosen, focusing on the patient's condition, his weight and sugar levels. A special approach is needed if the pathology is accompanied by complications.
If the symptoms of diabetes mellitus make it possible to suspect that the disease belongs to the second type, and the tests confirm this, you will have to follow a diet very carefully all your life. However, there are cases when this measure is the only one necessary to correct the patient's condition. Your doctor may prescribe additional medications to lower your blood sugar levels. Usually enough special pills that provoke minimal side effects. If the disease is severe, you have to prescribe insulin. The decision remains with the doctor, who observes the dynamics of changes in the patient's condition. To prevent the development of complications, it is necessary to practicepreventive action. To do this, enrich the diet with vitamin D, use means that improve the quality of blood flow. At the moment, there are no ways to completely cure diabetes, the only known option is to maintain adequate blood sugar levels. Responsible attitude to your everyday life allows you to live a quality and long life, practically without feeling the manifestations of pathology.
Children get sick
Sometimes the symptoms of diabetes are observed in children. In recent years, all diseases are getting younger, and this pathology will not be an exception. In general, the causes of the disease are similar to those characteristic of adults, although there are some specific features. For example, in some babies, diabetes develops against the background of too active production of growth hormone. Growth is accompanied by an increased rate of production of protein structures, which involves insulin, which means that tissues consume this compound in a larger volume than in adults. The pancreas does not always cope with such a load, the function is weakened, the body lacks insulin, which leads to the formation of diabetes. One of the confirmations of the theory of the connection between the diabetic state and active growth is clinical studies that have shown that there is ossification, acceleration of the growth of the child, when diabetes first begins.
In most cases, in children, the symptoms of diabetes appear slowly, gradually, at first they do not attract attention to themselves. Of course, it happens otherwise - a stormy, abrupt onset, when the symptoms are brightexpressed, but this is a significantly smaller percentage of cases. You can notice something wrong with he alth if the child is constantly thirsty, the urge to urinate is frequent. Many juvenile diabetics suffer from urinary incontinence - both at night and during the day. With normal, sometimes increased appetite, the child loses weight, looks lethargic and weak. Many suffer from headaches, get tired quickly. Skin manifestations of the disease are possible, although they are quite rare. The main stable symptom is hyperglycemia. Most have sugar in the urine, while specific gravity does not always allow for a correct assessment of the amount of sugars, so this method of diagnosis has proven to be unreliable. But there is almost never a full correspondence between blood and urine sugar levels.
Children's diabetes: features
As with diabetes in women, symptoms in children suggest damage to the liver. Changes in the systems of internal organs are possible, and not always predictable. But rubeosis, xanthosis, characteristic of many adult patients, are practically not observed in children. If you do not start adequate treatment, the skin soon begins to peel off, the integument is dry. Swelling is possible if the disease is accompanied by a sharp exhaustion. Pathology can be suspected by the tongue - the color changes to bright red, the surface is dry, the papillae are smoothed. Many people with diabetes develop gingivitis, pyorrhea. The latter in childhood is much more difficult to tolerate than older patients. caries progresses. Heart tones when listening are muffled, systole noise is possible, from whichconclude that vascular tone is reduced. The pressure is usually below normal, the pulse is small. Capillaroscopy gives a red background, shows a wide knee of the artery, pathological changes in the myocardium can be seen on the ECG.
One of the symptoms of diabetes in women, men, children is dyspepsia. It is known that at a young age with such a diagnosis, the likelihood of an increase in the volume of the liver is higher. The symptom is expressed the brighter, the longer the disease lasts. When examining an organ denser than normal, it provokes painful sensations. If diabetes is severe, erythrocytes, proteins, cylindrical cells are found in the patient's urine. The filtration function of the kidneys may be inhibited. If the child is old enough to describe his feelings, he complains of dizziness and headaches, while the condition is weak. Against the background of diabetes, memory suffers, limbs hurt, the sensitivity of the skin is disturbed, tendon reflexes weaken, fade away. Problems of visual accommodation are observed - these are fixed much more often than in the case of adult patients. There is a risk of retinopathy, cataracts. Retinitis, eye muscle paralysis are rare, but such a course is possible.
Women get sick: their own specifics
On average, symptoms of diabetes are more common in women than in men. There are many reasons for this. In addition, many of the fair sex start the disease: the first manifestations are rather weak, so women delay going to the doctor until the very last moment, when it becomes clear that they need it urgently.start treatment. Therapy will be much more effective if you turn to a specialist at the first manifestations. Despite their relative harmlessness, the danger of the condition should not be underestimated. And the first thing that many people pay attention to is abundant hair loss. Normally, a person should lose about a hundred hairs per day, but this is due to metabolism. In diabetes, metabolism is disturbed, so growth slows down, and prolapse is activated. The hair becomes brittle, loses its shine and beauty, the hair becomes thinner, grows slowly.
One of the symptoms of diabetes in women is drowsiness. Many do not attach much importance to it, but this sign is more than alarming, reflecting that the body does not have an adequate supply of energy for everyday tasks. This is explained by the impossibility of generating energy from glucose due to metabolic disorders. If during the night's rest the cells do not store the necessary energy volumes, during the working day the woman feels tired, weak. Such observation of one's condition is an important reason to visit a doctor and get tested.
Small things worth noticing
Symptoms of diabetes in men and women include itchy feet and hands. Up to 80% of patients noted that the initial stages of the disease were accompanied by such sensations. Symptoms may be observed infrequently, but even rare manifestations deserve attention. In addition, many notice that the wounds heal slowly. Itching in the perineum is possible, however, it cannot be regarded as the main symptom of the disease - perhaps the reason isgynecological pathology. If itching accompanies other diabetic signs, you should immediately visit a doctor.
Over time, a new symptom of diabetes mellitus in women appears - appetite is activated, it draws on sweets. True, glucose is still not absorbed by cellular structures, the tissues are starving, the brain sends new impulses, stimulating a person to eat. The pull sometimes becomes frighteningly strong. This will cause weight gain, tissues become even less sensitive to insulin, instead, sugars accumulate in the circulatory system, blood vessels and the heart suffer. It makes sense to pay attention to where deposits of excess kilograms are localized. If the area of accumulation is the waist, there is a high probability of chronic high blood pressure, heart failure, metabolic disorders.
Strong half of humanity: the danger is great
Although the disease is more common in women, the frequency of symptoms of diabetes in men is increasing. In general, the manifestations are similar to those described above. When the disease begins to heal slowly and poorly, even the most minor wounds, over time, trophic ulcers can form. Advanced diabetes can cause gangrene. Of the primary symptoms, it is worth noting an increased frequency of urination, dry mouth, constant thirst, and hunger. Many patients note that they do not have the strength to cope with ordinary things that used to be nothing difficult.
In diabetes, especially in middle and old age, almost completelyintimate life disappears, a person loses the desire for such activity. Symptoms of diabetes in men include potency disorders.
