Hypoglycemia Signs and Symptoms

Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia are two health conditions caused due to low blood sugar level and high blood sugar level, respectively. Both these health problems usually occur in people suffering from diabetes. Signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia are different. Usually hypoglycemia is noticed in people who suffer from type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. But even people who are non-diabetic can also suffer from hypoglycemia. It is a health condition where the sugar level in the body gets reduced to a great extent, triggering hypoglycemia signs and symptoms.

Our body requires glucose to perform its daily activities. This glucose is obtained from the food we eat and our bloodstream absorbs it. Glucose is then carried to the body cells. A hormone called insulin helps our body cells to use this glucose for obtaining energy. In diabetic patients, the insulin secretion is low and hence the sugar level in their blood is high. Read more on signs and symptoms of hyperglycemia. The medications used to treat diabetes help to increase the insulin secretion and thereby reduce the blood sugar. Sometimes this treatment can bring sudden drop in the blood sugar level causing hypoglycemia.

Even people who are not diabetic patients can suffer from hypoglycemia; this is called reactive hypoglycemia. However, hypoglycemia in non diabetic patients is a very rare case. Alcohol consumption, effects of certain medications, illness or endocrine deficiencies are some of the causes of hypoglycemia in people without diabetes. Many a times skipping meals is also a reason for hypoglycemia. Such a type of hypoglycemia can be treated by eating glucose source at the earliest. Given below are the hypoglycemia signs and symptoms.

Signs and Symptoms of Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia signs and symptoms depend on the amount of blood sugar level that has lowered. Hypoglycemia can be classified as mild hypoglycemia, moderate hypoglycemia and severe hypoglycemia.

The symptoms of mild hypoglycemia are:

• Nervousness
• Hunger
• Increased heartbeat
• Sweating

The symptoms of moderate hypoglycemia are:

• Confusion
• Blurred vision
• Nervousness
• Unsteadiness or imbalanced movement

The symptoms of severe hypoglycemia occur due to inadequate supply of glucose to the brain.Severe hypoglycemia can cause seizures and may even lead to death. Severe hypoglycemia is usually a rare case. Hypoglycemia directly affects the working of brain because our brain uses almost 75 percent of the glucose produced in the body. Symptoms include:

• Headache
• Confusion
• Getting unconscious
• Vision problem- double vision, blurred vision

The symptoms of hypoglycemia can also be noticed during sleep at night. These symptoms include:

• Too much of sweating during sleep.
• Having nightmares and crying during sleep.
• Headache, tiredness or confusion after waking up.

Hypoglycemia signs and symptoms may not be same for every person. Read more on signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Hypoglycemia
The above listed signs and symptoms may not always indicate hypoglycemia. They can be caused due to to other health problems also. Therefore the only way to make sure if a person is suffering from hypoglycemia is to go for a blood sugar test. On getting a hypoglycemia attack, one should consume juice, table sugar, glucose tablet or any glucose source at the earliest. The treatment for hypoglycemia aims at increasing the blood sugar level. Thus the initial treatment is given to elevate the glucose in the blood, while the next treatment is given for the cause that led to low sugar level. The treatment also depends on the hypoglycemia signs and symptoms noticed in the patient. If side effect of diabetic medications is the cause of hypoglycemia, the physician may effect certain changes in the treatment for diabetes. Too much production of insulin in the body due to diabetic drugs, suddenly decreases the glucose level, leading to hypoglycemia.

Hypoglycemia signs and symptoms can be reduced by immediate consumption of glucose source. If one is under diabetic medications, he / she should consult the physician and follow the prescription that will not produce excess insulin in the body.