Nearly 40 million Americans have diabetes, a chronic medical condition that alters the way your body uses glucose. Of those 40 million people, almost a quarter don’t know they have the disease, leaving them vulnerable to serious complications.

Regular urine and blood tests can measure glucose levels to look for signs of diabetes, but it’s also essential to know some of the most common symptoms it can cause.

At K & M Care in Summerton, South Carolina, Nurse practitioner Miranda Kerley offers diabetes management plans tailored to each patient’s needs. Here are six early diabetes symptoms you should watch out for:

1. Numbness in your hands or feet

Elevated glucose levels can damage tiny nerve endings, especially in your hands and feet, a condition known as peripheral neuropathy, which can cause other symptoms like burning or crawling sensations. 

Diabetes is just one possible cause of peripheral neuropathy. If you experience signs of this condition, book a medical evaluation with our team as soon as possible to prevent nerve damage from progressing to a lifelong disability.

2. Frequent urination, including at night

If you have diabetes, your kidneys need to work extra hard to eliminate extra blood sugar from your blood. As a result, they produce more urine, causing you to urinate more frequently, even during the night while you’re sleeping. High glucose levels can also lead to an increased risk of kidney infections.

3. Intense and frequent thirst

Not surprisingly, when your kidneys produce a lot of urine, your body draws fluids from your other tissues. At the same time, elevated blood sugar can trigger dehydration, leading to thirst. If you’re thirsty often, especially while at rest, scheduling a medical evaluation at our practice is a good idea.

4. Unintentional weight loss

Most of us associate too much sugar with gaining weight, but if you have diabetes, excessive blood sugar levels can do the opposite. That’s because when your glucose is too high, it can interfere with how your body metabolizes food, leading to the breakdown of fat and muscle tissue as an alternative fuel source. Over time, you can wind up with a significant drop in weight, even if you’re not trying to shed extra pounds.

5. Fatigue

Your body depends on glucose for energy. Since diabetes impairs your ability to use glucose efficiently, your body struggles to get the energy it needs to function optimally. Over time, those struggles can leave you feeling constantly tired and worn out.

6. Blurry vision or other changes in your vision

Diabetes is associated with a host of eye and vision problems. Vision issues are so common that they’re known collectively as diabetic eye disease. Blurriness is one of the earliest vision-related symptoms, occurring when elevated glucose levels damage tiny blood vessels and nerves inside your eyes. Early treatment is essential for preventing permanent vision loss.

Don’t ignore your symptoms

Diabetes can be diagnosed with a simple blood test, sometimes accompanied by a urine test to measure glucose levels. If you have symptoms of diabetes, don’t ignore them.