Diabetes is a medical condition that can affect males and females at any age. Individuals who have undiagnosed diabetes typically exhibit a number of common adult diabetes symptoms, such as increased urination and extreme thirst. Many people also experience excessive fatigue, weight loss, vision problems and unexplained weight loss. Any individual who is experiencing these general symptoms should consult with medical personnel as soon as possible. A doctor can diagnose adult diabetes symptoms quickly by using a blood glucose test and can recommend a long-term treatment plan designed to minimize future health problems and potential complications.
Many of the initial adult diabetes symptoms might go unnoticed because the disease can take 10 years or longer to develop. The first symptoms might seem somewhat harmless and difficult to identify as warning signs. Early symptoms might be somewhat sporadic and can include extra trips to the bathroom, feeling a little thirstier or feeling somewhat more tired than usual.
Diabetes is a progressive disease that results in too much glucose circulating in the blood, so these adult diabetes symptoms will increase in severity and become more noticeable over time. Individuals might become aware, for example, not just of being tired but of being exhausted. A chronic undiagnosed elevation in blood glucose levels will cause additional symptoms to develop. People whose conditions are worsening might begin to notice cuts or bruises healing more slowly; an increased number of bladder, gum, skin or yeast infections; and vision that is occasionally somewhat blurry. Nighttime urination after going to sleep might become more common and problematic as the body tries to eliminate the excess glucose.
As diabetes progresses, people may notice sharp pains or a tingling or numbness in feet or hands. This symptom is called neuropathy, a form of nerve damage, and it commonly develops over longer periods of living with undiagnosed and uncontrolled diabetes. Consistently high blood glucose levels cause nerve damage to occur, especially in the extremities. Excessive sweating also is common, and the individual’s perspiration and breath might have a noticeably sweet odor.
A person who is experiencing any of these adult diabetes symptoms should consult a doctor. Although diabetes is a serious chronic disease, it can be managed with proper treatment. Depending on how the disease has progressed, a doctor might prescribe diet and exercise, a prescription medication, insulin or a combination of these approaches to bring blood glucose levels down. After this has been done, most people experience significant relief and a reduction in their adult diabetes symptoms.