Signs of Low Blood Sugar

Blood sugar/glucose is very essential to provide the energy to our body. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, which is absorbed in the blood stream. Insulin plays an important role in regulating the blood sugar level. There may be decrease in blood sugar level due to various reasons. This condition is known as hypoglycemia. Some of the common causes of hypoglycemia are overmedication with insulin or antidiabetic pills, alcoholism, use of certain medications such as pentamidine and beta-blockers, severe infection, adrenal insufficiency, liver failure, renal failure, insulinoma and other tumors such as mesothelioma, hepatoma and fibrosarcoma. In most cases, hypoglycemia in adults is seen people with diabetes mellitus.

Well, do you know what are the signs of low blood sugar? Majority of the symptoms of hypoglycemia are associated with the nervous system. Some of the common signs of low blood sugar are clamminess, trembling, anxiety, palpitations, hunger and sweating. As the brain is deprived of glucose, there are certain symptoms such as headache, confusion, difficulty in thinking, seizures and coma.

There are three types of hypoglycemia such as mild, moderate and severe. As the blood sugar level falls, the severity of symptoms increases.

• Mild Hypoglycemia: When blood sugar level falls below normal blood sugar levels (70 mg/dl), it is known as mild hypoglycemia. Major signs of mild hypoglycemia are trembling, extreme hunger, nausea, feeling nervous, excessive sweating, rapid heartbeat and tingling or numbness of fingertips or lips.
• Moderate Hypoglycemia: If blood sugar falls below 55 mg/dl, then the condition is known as moderate hypoglycemia. It could affect the nervous system. Major signs of this type of hypoglycemia are confusion, difficulty in thinking, mood changes such as anxiety, anger, restlessness, or irritability, fatigue, weakness, lack of energy, headache, dizziness, poor coordination, difficulty in walking or talking.
• Severe Hypoglycemia: It is due to extreme fall in blood sugar levels (below 35-40 mg/dl). It causes symptoms such as seizures or convulsions, low body temperature (hypothermia), loss of consciousness and coma.

Prolonged severe hypoglycemia can lead to irreversible brain damage and heart problems in the people having coronary artery disease. Hence, it is very essential to seek immediate medical treatment, if signs of low blood sugar are noticed.