Nov 14: World Diabetes Day creates awareness

Bangalore, Nov 9: Diabetes is not a new word to anyone and to expand its awareness, the world celebrates Nov 14 as World Diabetes Day. But how many people with Diabetes are aware that they are having the disease.

Though the term - Diabetes, which is also known as 'Sugar', is a familiar word, but people hardly knows the exact symptoms of the disease.

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder where in human body does not produce or properly uses insulin, a hormone that is required to convert sugar, starches, and other food into energy.

Diabetes mellitus is characterized by constant high levels of blood glucose (sugar). Human body has to maintain the blood glucose level at a very narrow range, which is done with insulin and glucagon.

The primary symptoms of Diabetes:

• The first symptom of diabetes is often excessive thirst (unrelated to exercise, hot weather, or short-term illness)
• Excessive hunger (you know you've eaten "enough" but are still hungry all the time)
• Frequent urination (often noticed because you must wake up repeatedly during the night)
• Tiredness and fatigue (possibly severe enough to make you fall asleep unexpectedly after meals), one of the most common symptoms of diabetes.
• Rapid and sudden weight loss (any dramatic change in weight is a sign to visit a doctor)

Diabetes, especially when untreated or not controlled, can lead to severe health problems, such as blindness and heart disease, among others.

Read: More on Diabetes

If 'minor' symptoms of diabetes is not cured properly then those can be resulting in some of the following serious symptoms:

• Blurred vision (diabetes can lead to macular degeneration and eventual blindness)
• Numbness and/or tingling in the hands and feet (peripheral neuropathy, a symptom of diabetes, causes nerve damage in the extremities)
• Slow healing of minor scratches and wounds (diabetes often leads to impaired immune system function)
• Recurrent or hard-to-treat yeast infections in women (another sign of impaired immune function)
• Dry or itchy skin (peripheral neuropathy also affects circulation and proper sweat gland function

Generally, it is believed that only aged people suffer from Diabetes but several studies and instances proved that the disease does not limited to any age, anyone can be affected by Diabetes.

However, if you have diabetes, you also can live a normal, productive life. It's important, though, to monitor your diabetes and be active in taking good care of your health by recognising its symptoms properly at the right time.

OneIndia News