Around 29.1 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes. With that big number of people with diabetes, you might think that people know almost everything about this chronic disease, but you’re wrong. Most of the people know that diabetes occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar.
The most common symptoms are blurry vision, extreme fatigue, thirst and hungry, uncontrolled urination, inability to heal injuries and sores, weight loss and pain in the feet and hands. You might be wondering, what’s left to learn about diabetes?
Well, there are some symptoms that you might not be aware of which might indicate you’re at risk for diabetes. Diabetes can really affect your quality of life and you’ll have to do a lot of lifestyle changes to keep everything in line.
Here are some of the early signs of diabetes no one tells you about:
1. Your Hearing is Changing
Hearing can be affected as we get older, but diabetes can also impact on your hearing. One study shows that pre-diabetes can cause hearing loss. The researchers think that diabetes damages the blood vessels and nerves in the ear which results in hearing loss. So if you notice that your hearing is changing, ask your doctor to check your blood sugar levels.
2. Your Vision Has Slightly Improved
If your glasses prescription was getting stronger each year and suddenly your vision is becoming better, this might also be an indication that you have diabetes.
Although diabetes is often associated with blurry vision, reality is that some people’s vision can improve because diabetes causes changes in the fluid levels in your body.
3. Your Skin is Getting Worse
If you notice dark patches on your skin, especially on your elbows, the back of your neck or knuckles- this might mean that you have high blood pressure. High blood sugar causes changes in the skin cells and melanin, which leads to skin changes.
4. You’re Constantly Itchy
Diabetes can affect your blood circulation which leads to dry and itchy skin. If creams don’t help you, then you should check your blood sugar levels.