Diabetes symptoms: Five ‘unusual’ signs of high blood sugar you shouldn’t ignore
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Diabetes affects around five million people in the UK, and 90 percent of those cases are caused by type 2 diabetes. But it can be really difficult to know if you’re at risk of the condition. These are the subtle symptoms you should be watching out for.
Diabetes is a common condition that’s caused by the body struggling to convert sugar in the blood into useable energy.
Having diabetes increases your risk of developing some serious medical conditions, including heart disease and strokes.
If you develop any of the key warning signs of diabetes, you should speak to a doctor straight away.
Aside from the more common symptoms, there are a number of “unusual” signs to look out for, according to medical website Healthline.
Breath scent
Some diabetes patients may find that their breath develops a fruity scent.
The smell is caused by diabetic ketoacidosis; a complication of high blood sugar.
In the absence of insulin, the body starts to break down fat cells for energy. But this process produces an acid – known as ketones – as a by-product.
If you have diabetes, you may find that your breath smells of fruit or nail polish.
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Itchiness
Persistent itching is a lesser-known symptom of diabetes, and it’s caused by nerve damage.
High blood sugar has a direct impact on the nerve fibres in the body – and not in a good way.
The nerve damage usually impacts the hands and feet, but it can actually develop anywhere on the body.
As a result, the body’s natural reaction is to start itching in the areas with nerve damage.
Dry mouth
High blood sugar can reduce saliva flow in the mouth, warned the medical website.
While it’s normal to occasionally have a dry mouth, you should speak to a doctor if it continues to happen, for no obvious reason.
Erectile dysfunction
Type 2 diabetes patients may develop some kind of sexual dysfunction, including impotence.
It’s caused by high blood sugar damaging the blood vessels that carry blood to the penis.
Dark skin patches
Some diabetes patients may find that they develop dark, velvety patches of skin.
These patches can be widespread across the body, or in just certain folds of the skin.
It’s a condition known as acanthosis nigricans, and it’s most common around the neck.
The patches develop as high levels of insulin in the blood can cause skin cells to reproduce faster than normal.
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