Diabetes Symptoms in Women
As diabetes has become a common health problem among women across the world, it is very important to know about all the diabetes symptoms in women. This article will give you complete information on the symptoms that occur in women affected by diabetes.
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Diabetes can be mainly classified into two types; type 1 and type 2. The former is also called juvenile diabetes as it is commonly seen in young children, teenagers and adults, usually under the age of 25 - 30. This occurs when the pancreas are unable to produce insulin, which is responsible to carry glucose to our cells. When enough insulin is not produced, the glucose level in the blood increases. This increase leads to diabetes. On the other hand, type 2 diabetes is said to occur in middle-aged and older people who suffer from problems of obesity. This type of diabetes usually occurs due to a sedentary lifestyle, and poor eating habits. In this case, the pancreas do produce insulin, but the body becomes resistant to insulin. It is not able to use the insulin properly, leading to the presence of glucose in the blood. Apart from these two, gestational diabetes is the third type of diabetes that occurs in women. Gestational diabetes, as the name suggests occurs when a woman is pregnant, and is a result of hormonal changes. Though gestational diabetes does not stay after the baby is born, women who have gestational diabetes during pregnancy, are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in their life.
Type 1 diabetes is usually seen in people who have a family history of this disease. Moreover, people who are suffering from an abnormal immune response are also said to have this form of diabetes. Even in the case of type 2 diabetes, usually genetics do play a role. Other than this, it is also very common in people who are obese, who follow an unhealthy diet, and an unhealthy lifestyle. The chances of diabetes are higher in women of certain races, such as African-American, American Indian, Hispanic, etc. Women who suffer from the problem of ovarian cysts, or have infertility problems are also at a higher risk of having diabetes later in their lives.
Though signs of diabetes in women, and in men are mostly the same, there are a few which occur only in women. Let us take a look at some of the signs and symptoms of diabetes in women.
√ Unexplained weight loss is one of the common type 1 diabetes symptoms in women. Our body is unable to use all the calories provided by the food we eat, even after following a healthy diet. Get yourself checked if you are losing quite some weight, even after eating properly and not much exercise.
√ Another symptom that is seen in both types of diabetes is the need to visit the washroom frequently. The human body tries to get rid of excess sugar through urine and hence, one feels the need to urinate often. This happens within very short periods of time, and is medically called Polyuria.
√ As excessive urination not only eliminates the extra sugar present in the body, but also large amounts of water, the individual may suffer from the problem of dehydration. Due to this, she may also experience excessive thirst (medically known as Polydipsia) throughout the day which is another symptom of diabetes in women.
√ One of the typical type 2 diabetes symptoms in women is excessive eating, medically known as polyphagia. When a person has this type of diabetes, the level of insulin is very high in the body. As insulin aids in stimulating hunger, too much of it may make the person feel unnecessarily hungry, and eventually eat more than required.
√ Another symptom of diabetes in women, is the occurrence of skin infections, as well as a vaginal yeast infection, as diabetes is a condition that helps yeast grow easily. Diabetic women may also experience urinary tract infections very frequently.
√ Sexual dysfunction is also observed as a common symptom of diabetes in women. It is said that diabetic women may experience pain or discomfort while indulging in sexual intercourse, reduced vaginal sensitivity and vaginal lubrication, as well as an inability to achieve orgasm.
√ Apart from these physical symptoms, some psychological symptoms may also be seen in women affected by diabetes. They may experience extreme lethargy, agitation and may sometimes also feel irritable for no reason.
√ In case of gestational diabetes, no overt sign may be noticed. However, if a pregnant woman has high blood pressure, there are chances that she is suffering from gestational diabetes.
√ Diabetic retinopathy: In this condition, blood vessels in the retina are damaged. The diabetic retinopathy diseases also include cataract and glaucoma. In cataract, the lens in our eyes get clouded. In glaucoma, the fluid pressure in our eyes increases. This leads to nerve damage. Patients will notice a slight loss and/or blur in vision. There are 4 levels of retinopathy: mild, moderate, severe, and proliferative.
√ Diabetic Nephropathy: Our kidneys are made up of units known as nephrons. These units are responsible for filtering our blood, and eventually removing wastes from our body. When a person is affected with diabetes, his nephrons become thicker, and are scarred in time. They then start to leak, due to which protein is passed in our urine. The kidney is thus damaged over a period of time. Symptoms may include nausea, swelling of legs and headaches.
√ It is also said that diabetes people may suffer from depression. Though there hasn't been strong evidence to support this claim, it would suffice to say that people with diabetes are at a higher risk of depression. If you experience pangs of guilt and nervousness, or change in sleep patterns, loss in appetite, visit your doctor just to be sure you aren't suffering from diabetes. This isn't a sure symptom of the diseases, but why take chances.
These were some of the diabetes symptoms in women. Though most women experience these symptoms, in many cases, people suffering from type II diabetes, do not experience any symptoms for several years. Usually, type 2 diabetes is diagnosed after serious health problems, like heart attacks, or vision problems arise. Hence, it is important for every woman to get herself checked for diabetes regularly after the age of 40. Early detection of these symptoms of diabetes in women will ensure that the individual gets proper treatment to control blood sugar level, thus preventing any major complications connected to this disease.
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