Because the symptoms of diabetes can go undetected for significant periods of time, it is called the silent killer. Detection of the disease at an early stage and timely treatment helps prevent numerous severe complications that may be associated with damage to the nervous system, kidneys, eyes, disturbances in the peripheral blood supply, as well as complications during pregnancy.
We should not forget about the prevention of diabetes, which involves, in particular, lifestyle changes. You should stop smoking, do not forget about physical activity, and a balanced healthy diet is necessary. Below are ten key early signs of diabetes that should alert you.
No. 1 Copious, frequent urination
One of the earliest symptoms of diabetes is polyuria.
If you notice frequent urination and a significant increase in urine volume (especially at night), this is a serious signal to contact a general practitioner or endocrinologist.
The amount of glucose in the blood increases due to slower absorption. As a result, the work of the kidneys increases and they “try” to remove excess glucose into the urine. Water, instead of being absorbed by the body, is intensively removed from it.
4.Treatment
Obviously, the therapeutic “target” will not be xerostomia with polydipsia - since these are always only symptoms - but the etiopathogenetic mechanisms underlying these phenomena. It is absolutely impossible to list all the options for specialized (endocrinological, gastroenterological, nephrological, etc.) therapeutic regimens, with the successful implementation of which thirst goes away, just as it is impossible to list all diseases at once in one article.
It is important to understand, however, that constant thirst and dry mouth, unless caused by obviously transient situational factors, are never a harmless isolated phenomenon. Any cause of dehydration, be it glomerulonephritis, diabetes, infection or intestinal disease, is pathological and very serious, so with such phenomena it is necessary to see a doctor as soon as possible.
#3 Insatiable hunger
Due to disrupted metabolic processes in the body, a person may constantly experience a feeling of hunger, as the cells stop absorbing glucose, which is “fuel” for the cells.
The body has to look for alternative sources of energy. Moreover, even consuming a large amount of food is not able to satiate a person. He is unable to satisfy his hunger, because overeating further increases the blood sugar level.
In such a situation, a visit to the endocrinologist cannot be postponed.
Dehydration is a cause of stress
Today, along with modern scientific achievements, technological progress, economic difficulties and much more, people are becoming more and more vulnerable... More and more often they are experiencing nervous tension, which in turn causes more serious mental illnesses, such as neuroses, insomnia, memory impairment, depression , irritability, anger. But at the same time as psychological disorders, people who are constantly under stress risk their health. It is known that stress in many cases causes diseases such as myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, hypertension, diabetes, gastritis, stomach and duodenal ulcers; under stress, cells of the brain and spinal cord die, bone mass decreases, which leads to osteoporosis. The list of diseases caused by stress can go on for a long time. The question is how to deal with this, because not every person can cope with their emotions. Nowadays, pharmacy counters are bursting with a mass of domestic and foreign sedatives. Most of them are based on herbal extracts. But scientists have come to the conclusion that stress can be overcome by other methods, without using potions and pills. Plain water can significantly reduce stress. Water is necessary for the proper functioning of all internal organs, including the brain, which is almost 90% water. Therefore, the brain is especially sensitive to dehydration. Scientific research confirms that even mild dehydration can cause irritability and bad mood. And with the loss of only 1-2% of moisture, a person becomes tired and powerless, and thirst arises. When the brain does not have enough water, a person may feel:
1. Feeling anxious without any good reason: anxiety syndrome. 2. The appearance of a feeling of irritation for no apparent reason, uncontrolled anger. 3. Feeling of depression and the appearance of inappropriate reactions. 4. Depressed state in its extreme form: depression, severe melancholy. 5. Chronic dehydration leads to a condition called chronic fatigue, which is not related to work performance. 6. The appearance of cravings for smoking, alcoholic drinks, coffee. 7. Dehydration is especially dangerous in childhood and old age. Stress and dehydration: a vicious circle
When dehydrated, the functioning of the entire body is disrupted, which already becomes a cause of stress. Physiological processes begin to occur in the body, the same as in the case of stress, that is, the body’s reserves are mobilized. The stress mechanism, activated due to dehydration, “wastes” the last reserves of water. If there is not enough fluid, metabolic disorders occur, the load on the body increases, and this entails various kinds of dangerous disorders. Scientific research shows that a lack of just 0.5 liters of water in the body already leads to an increase in the level of stress hormones in the blood of a dehydrated person. Thus, dehydration causes stress, and stress leads to further dehydration.
A prerequisite for dealing with stress is preventing dehydration and drinking enough clean water.
At the same time, when our body has enough water, it is less susceptible to stress. Thus, preventing dehydration is also preventing stress.
The easiest way to treat dehydration is to increase your water intake. It should be taken into account that tea, coffee, and especially alcohol will not help here, since they themselves lead to dehydration. It's better to drink clean water. Thus, water will help relieve symptoms of stress and calm the nervous system. How to train yourself to drink enough water
Here are some tips:
— Always carry a bottle of clean water with you and refill it periodically. Don't forget to take a sip from it all the time. — Keep a glass of water on your desk. — Place a glass of water near your bed: when you wake up in the morning, replenish the lack of water that appeared overnight. During sleep hours, a person loses water through breathing and sweat. - Remember that most drinks are dehydrating. Replace a glass of lemonade or a cup of coffee with a glass of clean water throughout the day.
Now the only question is quantity. But scientists can give an answer here too. When stressed, you should drink approximately six to eight glasses of water, in addition to the fluid you drink daily.
It is best to drink water little by little throughout the day. Since six glasses drunk in one gulp are unlikely to do any good! If you already know that you will feel stressed in certain situations, stock up on a bottle of water and remember to sip from it periodically. Try this and see for yourself that with every sip of water the tension goes away!
To maintain and improve health, it is recommended to drink 1-2 glasses of clean water 0.5 hours before meals or 2 hours after meals. Or use the “drip method”, when a person drinks 1.5 - 2 liters of clean water during the day, gradually 1-2 sips. Remember! A glass of clean water will have a more effective effect on your dehydrated body than any medicine! Just as a car needs gasoline for the upcoming trip, the human body needs enough free water in the circulatory system to get through the day until the evening, make it through the night, and then face the next day.
For some reason, people used to know about the beneficial effects of water on a person’s state of mind. Remember how in old films, when the hero unexpectedly received some bad news and from a surge of negative feelings he lost his mental balance, those around him shouted: “Urgently, bring him water!” Today this has almost been forgotten.
Our life is already full of problems, we shouldn’t add stress from dehydration to them. Exams without stress: what is useful to know for students in grades 9 - 11, graduates entering universities and their parents.
Drink water to relieve stress and improve performance. Water improves brain function and increases performance. All electrochemical processes occurring in the body, and, consequently, in the brain and central nervous system, depend on the patency of nerve impulses. Water is the best conductor of electrical signals in our body. Dehydration causes a decrease in the energy potential of our body and triggers a stress response. Head of the monitoring department of the Kaluga Regional Center for Medical Prevention Guseva Irina Alfeevna
#9 Dry skin and itching
Elevated blood glucose levels provoke dysfunction of the sweat and sebaceous glands. Human skin becomes sensitive and dry. Due to the reduction of the skin's protective barrier, toxins, allergens and infections easily penetrate the skin. In most cases, itching is the result of dry skin or a fungal infection. In some cases, dark spots appear on the skin with diabetes (in the armpits, on the neck and in the groin area).
If you are regularly bothered by burning or itching in various parts of the body, as well as dry skin (despite moisturizing), you need to consult a specialist.
3. Symptoms and diagnosis
The axial, leading symptoms are mentioned at the beginning of the article and probably do not need additional explanation. However, the situational and anamnestic context in which such symptoms arise is of great diagnostic importance. Any doctor to whom a patient turns with constant thirst and dry mouth will definitely clarify many details: at what time of day, in what circumstances, whether thirst is accompanied by general weakness, malaise, a feeling of insatiable hunger, fever, nausea, bitterness in the mouth, white coating on the tongue, dizziness, frequent or rare urination, diarrhea, etc. If the patient is a woman of fertile age, a question about possible pregnancy will certainly be asked.
The above symptoms can occur in a variety of combinations, and some of these symptom complexes suggest a very serious pathology. In any case, laboratory and instrumental examinations will be prescribed (depending on the specific clinical picture and the most likely root cause).
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No. 10 Visual impairment
Is it difficult for you to see details, everything floats before your eyes and you feel like you’re in a fog, have you lost your visual acuity? These symptoms may also signal high blood sugar levels.
If such symptoms are left unattended, over time new blood vessels will appear on the retina and serious problems such as cataracts, glaucoma and retinopathy will arise.
Proper treatment and proper nutrition for diabetes of any type has a positive prognosis; the person remains able to work and does not change his usual lifestyle.
Take care of your health; if you have even one of the listed symptoms, consult a doctor!
How to understand when it's time to see a doctor
If there are no objective reasons for night thirst (overeating, alcohol), and the symptom appears daily, medical attention is needed. The doctor will conduct a subjective (detailed medical history) and objective examination. A urine test is required to determine the excreted volume, the amount of calcium, sodium and potassium. The second mandatory study is a general blood test. Further testing depends on the specific symptoms that are bothering the patient and may include:
- Ultrasound of the kidneys or abdominal cavity;
- FGDS;
- plain radiography of the kidneys and urinary tract;
- biochemical blood test for hormones;
- blood for tumor markers, CT, MRI - if a malignant neoplasm is suspected.
As a rule, consultations with specialized specialists are required - only a complete examination will answer the question of why you want to drink water at night.
What is the best way to quench your thirst at night?
It’s not easy to quench your thirst at night. Simple clean water is not suitable for these purposes. If thirst is caused by dry mucous membranes, you can try drinking sparkling mineral water. Water with the addition of lemon juice helps a lot - instant refreshment of the mucous membrane is guaranteed. If you are thirsty on a regular basis, you can cook compotes, drink juices and fruit drinks - the main condition is that the drinks are not sweet.
Lemon water is a great thirst quencher
Sugar-containing carbonated drinks, milk and coffee are not suitable for quickly quenching thirst. They provoke water retention in the body, forcing a person to drink additional fluid. It is worth remembering that carbonated mineral water is not suitable for everyone - if you have stomach or intestinal diseases, it is better to use still water.
Kvass will help you quickly quench your thirst, regardless of its cause - but only if it is natural, fresh and without sugar. Green tea occupies a special place among drinks. It perfectly quenches even the strongest thirst and has a slight diuretic effect, removing excess fluid from the body and cleansing it. It is especially useful if thirst is caused by intoxication - alcoholic or viral.
