10 Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition in which your glucose, or blood sugar, is too high. Blood glucose comes from your food and is supposed to be used as a main energy source. In people with type 2 diabetes, that process doesn't work properly. Instead, blood glucose builds up in the bloodstream and causes health problems.

The symptoms of type 2 diabetes can develop slowly over years. You may feel tired or constantly thirsty and hungry, which can be early signs of the condition. Some people might never develop symptoms, only finding out they have type 2 diabetes after the development of complications like heart disease. Here's what you need to know, including how type 2 diabetes makes you feel and when to see a healthcare provider.

1. Frequent Urination 

Having to go to the bathroom more than usual is a potential sign of type 2 diabetes. The condition of frequent urination is known as polyuria. Often, the increased need to urinate happens at night. Having to go to the bathroom more frequently at night is known as nocturia.

You might need to urinate more because your body is making more urine than usual. The excess glucose that people with type 2 diabetes have can make its way into the urine. Glucose itself also draws water into the urine. Because there is more liquid that needs to leave the body, you’ll need to urinate more.

2. Excessive Thirst 

Frequent urination goes hand-in-hand with excessive thirst, or polydipsia. Because higher levels of glucose can lead to more urination, your body winds up losing an excessive amount of fluids. The thirst is your body telling you that it wants to keep up with the loss of fluids.

3. Increased Hunger

A bigger appetite than usual could be one of the symptoms of type 2 diabetes. This hunger, known as polyphagia, exists even though you’ve been eating. Additionally, this symptom is connected to the excessive loss of urine. As the glucose is let out in the urine, so are the calories in that glucose. That loss of calories can lead to a feeling of hunger.

4. Unexplained Weight Loss

With type 2 diabetes, the process of glucose turning into energy doesn’t work properly. Your body may begin to burn muscle and fat to get the energy it still needs. As your body takes from these parts, you can lose weight.

5. Fatigue

Someone with type 2 diabetes may experience physical or mental exhaustion. This fatigue might be due to glucose levels not being under control. Because the hormone insulin cannot properly move glucose for energy, you may become fatigued.

6. Blurry Vision 

Changes in glucose levels can cause swelling in the tissue of your eyes. Since those tissues help you focus, the change can lead to blurry vision. This problem is often temporary. When your glucose levels return to normal, the swelling subsides, and your vision will no longer be blurry.

7. Increase in Infections

High glucose levels make it harder for the immune system to defend against infection. Plus, the extra glucose creates an environment where bacteria can readily grow, which means infections can develop more quickly.

Infections can take longer to heal, and common infections among people with type 2 diabetes include infections of the:

• Ear, nose, and throat
  
• Kidney
• Skin and soft tissue, especially in the legs
• Urinary tract

8. Skin Changes

Skin conditions are sometimes a signal of diabetes. These problems include bacterial and fungal infections, which people with type 2 diabetes are more prone to developing.

Itching is another skin-related problem that might be a sign of type 2 diabetes. The itchiness would be limited to a particular area of the body. A yeast infection, dry skin, or poor circulation might cause itchiness. When poor circulation is the cause of itching, the itchiest areas may be the lower parts of the legs.

You could have other skin-related issues with type 2 diabetes. Cuts and bruises might also take longer to heal than usual, and your skin might be dehydrated.

9. Unusual Feelings in Your Feet

Blood sugar levels that are too high for too long can damage nerves. If your nerves are damaged, you might experience changes in sensation in different areas of your body. The nerve damage is known as diabetic neuropathy.

The most common type of diabetic neuropathy is peripheral nerve damage. This might feel like numbness, tingling, pain, increased sensitivity, or weakness. These feelings usually start in your feet but can also affect your hands, legs, and arms. The damage usually develops slowly.

10. Changes to Your Teeth and Gums

Diabetes can change your saliva in a couple of ways. The change in saliva can go on to affect your teeth and gums. 

First, you might create less saliva. Saliva helps fight cavities and gum disease in part by washing away food particles. With less saliva, you have less help getting rid of cavity-causing particles. Saliva also has minerals that can help protect gums. Less saliva means reduced gum protection.

Second, if you have high glucose levels, there could be more glucose in your saliva. The increased glucose in saliva can lead to plaque, which can lead to gum disease. Gum disease has different stages of severity, ranging from gum inflammation to tooth loss. Gums that are red, swollen, or bleeding could be a sign of gum disease.

Symptoms in Children

Children may have some of the same type 2 diabetes symptoms as adults, such as:

• Darkened areas of the skin, particularly around the neck or armpits
• Frequent need to urinate
• Increased thirst and hunger
• Unexplained weight loss

Symptoms in Older Adults

The symptoms of type 2 diabetes can vary in older adults, too. They might experience falls, fatigue, pain, or a loss of balance. Other signs can be hypoglycemia—or low blood sugar—and cuts and bruises taking longer to heal.

Symptoms Before Diabetes Develops

Sometimes, people might experience changes even before diabetes develops. When your blood sugar is high but not high enough to be considered diabetes, it is known as prediabetes. Prediabetes might cause symptoms like small skin growths or areas of unusually darkened skin on your armpits or neck folds, increased sweat, or increased hunger.

If diagnosed and treated, you might be able to prevent prediabetes from developing into diabetes. Keeping an eye out for symptoms of prediabetes can be easier if you know how at risk you are for developing diabetes in the first place. Find out what your risk is for type 2 diabetes by taking this quiz.

Complications

Type 2 diabetes that goes undiagnosed and untreated can lead to health complications, including:

• Cerebrovascular disease—conditions related to problems with brain-based blood flow and vessels
• Coronary artery disease (CAD)—a condition of heart-based blood vessel damage
• Decreased kidney function
• Diabetic coma
• Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)
• Nerve pain
• Peripheral artery disease—a condition of blood vessel damage in other parts of the body
• Retina-based blood vessel damage

Also, type 2 diabetes cannot be cured. However, a range of management techniques—from lifestyle modifications to medications—can help diminish symptoms and ward off complications. 

When To See a Healthcare Provider

If you have symptoms of diabetes, it’s recommended you visit a healthcare provider about your glucose levels. Glucose levels can be measured through blood tests and are what is used to make a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

It’s possible not to notice any symptoms of type 2 diabetes. Because of this, it’s important for those at risk for the condition to get their glucose tested. That includes people who have prediabetes, are at least 45 years old, or have an immediate family member with type 2 diabetes.

A Quick Review

Type 2 diabetes is a common condition characterized by high levels of blood sugar that may or may not present with symptoms. If there are symptoms, they develop slowly and include signs like an increase in urination, thirst, or hunger or changes in your dental, eye, or skin health.

Consider speaking with a healthcare provider if you suspect that you might be experiencing any symptoms of type 2 diabetes. Early detection of the disease is key to getting your blood sugar under control and preventing further complications.