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7 Signs You Have High Blood Sugar Levels

     

    7 Signs You Have High Blood Sugar Levels

     

     

    Lots of people have high blood sugar levels and don’t even know about it. Actually, high blood sugar is a very dangerous condition as it can result in type 2 diabetes. Today, we understand how serious diabetes is since those who have this disease are at high risk of life-threatening COVID-19 complications. 

    In fact, there are more than 30 million Americans living with diabetes and a staggering 25% of diabetes sufferers are unaware they have the disease. Additionally, there are about 84 million people who have high blood sugar levels or hyperglycemia which is considered prediabetes and a shocking 90% of those don’t know they have it.

    It seems that high blood sugar is caused by eating a super-sugary dessert, but in fact, it’s not as simple as that. Of course, consuming a lot of sugar or simple carbs can increase your blood sugar levels but your pancreas creates insulin to move that glucose into cells throughout the body.

    In the case of diabetes, this mechanism gets thrown out of whack. Your body either can’t produce enough insulin or can’t remove insulin well. In the case of prediabetes, blood sugar will be higher than normal but still not in type 2 diabetic range yet. And type 1 diabetes is characterized by the inability of the body to produce insulin. In any case, the result is that high blood sugar levels will put your health at risk in the long term. However, there are many symptoms of high blood sugar and it’s wise to know them. Prevention is always better. 

    1. Frequent urination

    High blood sugar levels make your kidneys pour out more sugar to get rid of it. When the kidneys excrete sugar, they pull out water with it which actually causes frequent urination.

    2. Excessive thirst

    Excessive thirst is a result of frequent urination since your body loses plenty of liquids and becomes dehydrated. People with high glucose start feeling thirsty all the time and this is a vicious cycle. The more you urinate, the thirstier you are, the more you drink, the more you urinate.

    3. Tingling in feet and hands

    Having too much sugar in the blood can affect nerve function and result in nerve damage. This is called neuropathy. The most common kind of neuropathy is peripheral, it impacts hands and especially feet. Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy include feelings of tingling, numbness, or burning feet, arms, and legs. If you have similar feelings, consult a foot doctor

    4. Vision problems

    Yes, high blood sugar levels can affect unexpected areas in your body including your eyes. This is due to the fact that high glucose gets trapped in the lens in the middle of the eye which results in a blurred vision. 

    5. Fatigue

    Fatigue is one of the most common early symptoms of prediabetes. Sure, fatigue is a nonspecific symptom and can even be a symptom of low blood sugar levels. However, if you experience fatigue that regularly occurs after meals, it may have to do with increased blood glucose. 

    6. Dental problems

    Your saliva contains sugar as well as your blood. But when there’s too much sugar, it helps bad oral bacteria grow and spread to create plaque, cavities, gingivitis, gum disease, and bad breath. Swollen and bleeding gums are one of the first signs of high blood sugar levels. 

    7. Recurrent infections

    Long term elevated blood sugar levels can worsen the body’s immune response and thus your body can’t properly fight some infections. This makes them more frequent, lingering, and even serious. Frequent yeast infections in women can be linked to diabetes. Women with high blood sugar are also more prone to UTIs.

     

     

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