When young and healthy people hear the word "diabetes", do they think that it is a disease that has nothing to do with them?
According to data from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), the number of diabetes patients in the world is about 400 million, and the Western Pacific region including Japan in particular has the highest number of diabetes patients.
Diabetes is a very common disease in Japan.
In this article, we will explain in detail what kind of disease diabetes is in the first place, and the early symptoms that can be said to be signs of diabetes.
table of contents
What is diabetes
Diabetes mellitus is a disease in which blood sugar levels continue to be high for a long time due to a lack of insulin, a hormone that lowers blood sugar levels, or insulin resistance develops, leading to various complications.
Types of diabetes include:
- type 1 diabetes
- type 2 diabetes
type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes develops when the cells that produce insulin are destroyed for some reason, resulting in a lack of insulin.
It develops regardless of lifestyle habits and obesity, and is common in children and young people.
type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes develops as a result of various genetic factors that contribute to decreased insulin secretion and insulin resistance, combined with irregular lifestyle habits and poor diet.
It is said to be a lifestyle-related disease and is common among middle-aged and elderly people.
7 early symptoms of diabetes
The early symptoms of diabetes are:
- dry throat
- lose weight
- my legs are numb
- keep feeling hungry
- get tired easily
- more frequent urination
- more susceptible to infections
We will explain each item in detail.
dry throat
If the blood sugar level is high for a long time, the body becomes dehydrated and the blood becomes muddy. Your brain will decide that you are not drinking enough water and you will feel thirsty.
lose weight
Insulin has the function of drawing sugar into cells and converting it into energy, but in diabetes, insulin is insufficient and energy cannot be supplied to cells.
Instead, you lose weight by breaking down proteins and fats such as muscles and turning them into energy.
my legs are numb
Prolonged high blood sugar damages blood vessels.
Capillaries are particularly susceptible to damage, and damage to capillaries adversely affects the autonomic nervous system.
In addition to numbness in the feet, it also makes it easier for your feet to cramp and cause skin problems on your feet.
keep feeling hungry
In diabetes, insulin cannot be produced properly and energy cannot be delivered to the cells.
Therefore, the brain misunderstands that nutrition is not enough and gives signs of hunger to replenish energy.
get tired easily
High blood sugar can make you very tired.
The reason you get tired easily is because you can't properly deliver energy to your cells.
Many people complain that they are easily fatigued because the lack of cellular energy occurs immediately.
more frequent urination
When you have diabetes, your kidneys excrete more sugar, which in turn causes more water to be excreted, resulting in more frequent urination.
In addition, high blood sugar makes you thirsty and you drink a lot of water, which causes you to urinate a lot.
more susceptible to infections
Prolonged hyperglycemia impairs immune function, making you more susceptible to infections.
In addition, once you get an infection, it is difficult to heal and it is easy to get worse. The reason for this is that hyperglycemia is a state in which there is a lot of sugar in the blood, and that sugar becomes a source of nutrition for bacteria, which makes it worse.
What happens when diabetes gets worse?
As diabetes worsens, complications such as:
- diabetic neuropathy
- diabetic retinopathy
- diabetic nephropathy
We will discuss each complication in detail.
diabetic neuropathy
Diabetic neuropathy occurs because peripheral nerves are damaged by high blood sugar.
Autonomic neuropathy causes diarrhea, constipation, and dysuria. Sensory/motor neuropathy often causes numbness, coldness, spontaneous pain, paresthesia, hypoesthesia, and cramps. is.
diabetic retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is a complication caused by damage to the capillaries in the retina at the back of the eye due to high blood sugar.
In the early stages, there are no subjective symptoms, but gradually the eyes become blurred.
As it progresses, it may become difficult to see rapidly, and in the worst case, blindness may occur, so caution is required.
diabetic nephropathy
Diabetic nephropathy occurs when high blood sugar damages the glomeruli, the tissue that filters urine.
There are almost no initial symptoms, but as it progresses, protein comes out from the urine, and swelling, fatigue, and anemia appear.
As the disease progresses further, the glomeruli become unable to filter urine, requiring dialysis treatment or kidney transplantation.
[Summary] Don't overlook the signs of diabetes | Early treatment can prevent deterioration
Diabetes causes various complications as it progresses.
In the early stages, there are often no subjective symptoms, but it is important not to overlook small signs.
If the complication worsens, it may change your life significantly, such as blindness or dialysis treatment, and you may not be able to live the way you used to.
In order to avoid diabetes, which causes serious complications, we recommend that you first see a doctor early to learn more about your physical condition.
Omotesando Helene Clinic specializes in regenerative medicine that does not place a burden on the body, and provides pre-counseling for those who cannot immediately start treatment.
Diabetes is also related to lifestyle habits such as obesity, excessive drinking and smoking, but it is generally said that it is difficult to improve lifestyle habits.
Therefore, if you use "regenerative medicine" that utilizes autologous stem cells, you can use your own cells to repair weakened cells in the body and prevent diabetes and complications.
"I'm curious, but I can't decide if prevention is really necessary now." You may be at risk of wandering life and death without realizing it, so Please feel free to contact us.
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