Symptoms of Diabetes

Introduction: Symptoms of Diabetes:

The symptoms of diabetes progress according to the range and duration of high blood sugar levels. The symptoms usually start mild (e.g. poorly healing skin rashes), and then progress to the more severe symptoms (e.g. excessive thirst and urination), and then finally to the dangerous life-threatening conditions of HHNS or DKA. The progression of symptoms is usually slow over years for Type 2 diabetes and rapid over weeks or months for Type 1 diabetes. People with Type 2 diabetes often are undiagnosed long enough that they start to get symptoms of the complications of diabetes, such as kidney and foot problems.

List of symptoms of Diabetes:

The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Diabetes includes the 64 symptoms listed below:

• No early symptoms - many people have Type 2 diabetes without knowing it
• Early mild symptoms - from moderate blood sugars (which are still dangerous and lead to serious complications):
  • Abscess
  • Skin rashes
  • Skin infections
  • Athlete's foot
  • Poor skin healing
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Candida
  • Thrush
  • Dry itchy skin
  • Flaky skin
  • Skin ulcers
  • Skin boils
  • Peripheral neuropathy
  • Paresthesias
  • Foot tingling
  • Foot numbness
  • Hand tingling
  • Hand numbness
  • Blurred vision
  • Sexual problems
  • Erectile failure
  • Unusual vaginal dryness
  • Premature menopause
  • Absent periods
  • Poor healing - any type of difficulty healing of minor infections, injury or after surgery.
  • Weight loss
  • Weight gain
  • Drowsiness
  • Malaise
• Later more extreme symptoms when blood sugars get higher:
  • Excessive thirst
  • Excessive urination
  • Dehydration
  • Bed wetting - in children
  • Excessive hunger
  • Tiredness
  • Weight loss
  • Severe blurred vision
  • Muscle cramps
  • Muscle aches
  • Headaches
  • Irritability
  • Tiredness
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle weakness
  • Acne - often worsens from diabetes and improves once sugars controlled
  • Sexual problems
    • Erectile failure
    • Unusual vaginal dryness
  • Absent menstrual periods
  • Persistent fungal skin infections
    • Athlete's foot
    • Tinea
    • Thrush (Candida)
• Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Nonketotic Syndrome (HHNS) - a very severe life-threatening complication of high blood sugars
• Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) - a very severe life-threatening complication of high blood sugars, requiring emergency treatment, which has very severe symptoms:
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Sweet-smelling fruity acetone breath
  • Breathing difficulty
  • Rapid Pulse
  • Abdominal pain - usually in children

Note that Diabetes symptoms usually refers to various symptoms known to a patient, but the phrase Diabetes signs may refer to those signs only noticable by a doctor.

More ways to research these symptoms: To research other symptoms use the symptom center, or to research causes of more than one symptom in combination, try our multi-symptom search.

Research More About Diabetes

Do I have Diabetes?

• Diabetes: Introduction
• Diabetes: Diagnostic Testing to confirm diagnosis
• Home Diagnostic Testing
• Alternative diagnoses and misdiagnosis for Diabetes
• Failure to Diagnose Diabetes
• Hidden Causes of Diabetes
• How serious is it?
• Treatments for Diabetes
• More about Diabetes

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical tests related to Diabetes:

• High Cholesterol: Home Testing:
  • Home Cholesterol Tests
  • Home Triglycerides Tests
  • Home Blood Pressure Tests
• High Blood Pressure: Home Testing
  • Home Blood Pressure Monitors
  • Home Heart Tests
• Heart Health: Home Testing:
  • Heart Rate Monitors
  • Irregular Heartbeat Detection
  • Heart Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Thyroid: Home Testing:
  • Home Thyroid Function Tests
  • Home TSH Tests
  • Home Adrenal Function Tests
• Diet & Weight Loss: Home Testing:
  • Home Weight Testing
  • Home Body Fat Testing (BMI)
  • Home Body Fat Monitoring
  • Home Fitness Testing
• Diabetes: Related Home Testing:
  • Home Diabetes Tests
  • Home Blood Glucose Tests
  • Home Urine Glucose Tests
  • Home Urine Ketone Tests
  • Home Diabetes HbA1c Tests
  • Home Microalbumin Tests (Kidney)
  • Home Urine Protein Tests (Kidney)
  • Home Kidney Tests
  • Home Eye Tests

Wrongly Diagnosed with Diabetes?

The list of other diseases or medical conditions that may be on the differential diagnosis list of alternative diagnoses for Diabetes includes:

• Diabetes insipidus - has a similar type of urination symptom pattern, but is usually ruled out early by a urine or blood glucose test.
• Fructosuria - a rare genetic disease that has fructose sugar in the urine.
• Xylulosuria - a rare genetic disease that has xylulose sugar in the urine.
• Pancreatitis - an inflammation of the pancreas digestive-related areas may also affect the endocrine pancreas side.
• Glucagonoma - a rare form of endocrine pancreatic cancer

See the full list of 47 alternative diagnoses for Diabetes

More about symptoms of Diabetes:

More information about symptoms of Diabetes and related conditions:

• Other diseases with similar symptoms and common misdiagnoses
• Tests to determine if these are the symptoms of Diabetes
• Symptoms that may be caused by complications of Diabetes
• Underlying causes of Diabetes
• Associated conditions for Diabetes
• Risk factors for Diabetes

Other Possible Causes of these Symptoms

Click on any of the symptoms below to see a full list of other causes including diseases, medical conditions, toxins, drug interactions, or drug side effect causes of that symptom.

• Abdominal pain - see all causes of Abdominal pain
• Abscess - see all causes of Abscess
• Absent menstrual periods - see all causes of Amenorrhea
• Absent periods - see all causes of Amenorrhea
• Acne - see all causes of Acne
• Athlete's foot - see all causes of Athlete's foot
• Athlete's foot - see all causes of Athlete's foot
• Bed wetting - see all causes of Enuresis
• Blurred vision - see all causes of Blurred vision
• Breathing difficulty - see all causes of Breathing difficulties
• Candida - see all causes of Candida
• Dehydration - see all causes of Dehydration
• Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) - see all causes of Diabetes-like symptoms
• Drowsiness - see all causes of Drowsiness
• Dry itchy skin - see all causes of Itching skin
• Early mild symptoms - see all causes of Vague symptoms
• Erectile failure - see all causes of Impotence
• Erectile failure - see all causes of Impotence
• Excessive hunger - see all causes of Excessive hunger
• Excessive thirst - see all causes of Thirst
• Excessive urination - see all causes of Polyuria
• Fatigue - see all causes of Fatigue
• Flaky skin - see all causes of Flaky skin
• Foot numbness - see all causes of Foot numbness
• Foot tingling - see all causes of Foot paresthesia
• Hand numbness - see all causes of Hand numbness
• Hand tingling - see all causes of Hand paresthesia
• Headaches - see all causes of Headache
• Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Nonketotic Syndrome (HHNS) - see all causes of Diabetes-like symptoms
• Irritability - see all causes of Irritability
• Malaise - see all causes of Malaise
• Muscle aches - see all causes of Muscle aches
• Muscle cramps - see all causes of Muscle cramps
• Muscle weakness - see all causes of Muscle weakness
• Nausea - see all causes of Nausea
• No early symptoms - see all causes of No symptoms
• Paresthesias - see all causes of Paresthesias
• Peripheral neuropathy - see all causes of Peripheral neuropathy
• Persistent fungal skin infections - see all causes of Fungal symptoms
• Poor healing - see all causes of Poor healing
• Poor skin healing - see all causes of Healing symptoms
• Premature menopause - see all causes of Menopause
• Rapid Pulse - see all causes of Rapid heart beat
• Severe blurred vision - see all causes of Blurred vision
• Sexual problems - see all causes of Sexual symptoms
• Sexual problems - see all causes of Sexual symptoms
• Skin boils - see all causes of Pus
• Skin infections - see all causes of Skin infections
• Skin rashes - see all causes of Rash
• Skin ulcers - see all causes of Skin ulcers
• Sweet-smelling fruity acetone breath - see all causes of Breath odor
• Thrush - see all causes of Thrush
• Thrush (Candida) - see all causes of Candida
• Tinea - see all causes of Tinea
• Tiredness - see all causes of Tiredness
• Tiredness - see all causes of Tiredness
• Unusual vaginal dryness - see all causes of Vaginal dryness
• Unusual vaginal dryness - see all causes of Vaginal dryness
• Urinary tract infections - see all causes of Urinary tract infection
• Vomiting - see all causes of Vomiting
• Weight gain - see all causes of Weight gain
• Weight loss - see all causes of Weight loss
• Weight loss - see all causes of Weight loss

Medical Books Online about Diabetes

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Full text. Free access without registration. The full text of published medical book chapters related to Diabetes is available from published medical books for more detailed information about Diabetes.

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

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Symptoms of Diabetes: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review the full text of medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the symptoms of Diabetes.

Diabetic complications during pregnancy: Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Indications for diagnostic screening for maternal diabetes mellitus during pregnancy include obesity, excessive weight gain, excessive hunger or thirst, polyuria, recurrent monilial infections, glycosuria, previous delivery of a large neonate, polyhydramnios, maternal hypertension, and a family history of diabetes.

Uncontrolled diabetes in a pregnant female can cause stillbirth, fetal anomalies, premature delivery, and birth of a neonate who’s large or small for gestational age. Such neonates are predisposed to severe episodes of hypoglycemia shortly after birth and may also develop hypocalcemia, hyperbilirubinemia, and respiratory distress syndrome.

READ FULL BOOK TEXT ONLINE »

Diabetic ketoacidosis: Signs and Symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Acetone breath, Kussmaul’s respirations, dehydration, weak and thready pulse, nausea, vomiting, altered level of consciousness, dry mucous membranes, serum glucose level of 300 to 1,500 mg/dl

READ FULL BOOK TEXT ONLINE »

Hereditary fructose intolerance: Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Typically, clinical features of hereditary fructose intolerance appear shortly after dietary introduction of foods containing fructose or sucrose. Symptoms are more severe in infants than in older people and include hypoglycemia, nausea, vomiting, pallor, excessive sweating, cyanosis, and tremor. In neonates and young children, continuous ingestion of foods containing fructose may result in failure to thrive, hypoglycemia, jaundice, hyperbilirubinemia, ascites, hepatomegaly, vomiting, dehydration, hypophosphatemia, albuminuria, aminoaciduria, seizures, coma, febrile episodes, substernal pain, and anemia.

READ FULL BOOK TEXT ONLINE »

Diabetes mellitus: Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Diabetes may begin dramatically with ketoacidosis or insidiously. Its most common symptom is fatigue from energy deficiency and a catabolic state. Insulin deficiency causes hyperglycemia, which pulls fluid from body tissues, causing osmotic diuresis, polyuria, dehydration, polydipsia, dry mucous membranes, poor skin turgor and, in most patients, unexplained weight loss.

ELDER TIP Because their thirst mechanism functions less effectively, older adults may not report polydipsia, a hallmark of diabetes in younger adults.

In ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic syndrome, dehydration may cause hypovolemia and shock. Wasting of glucose in the urine usually produces weight loss and hunger in type 1 diabetes, even if the patient eats voraciously.

Long-term effects of diabetes may include retinopathy, nephropathy, atherosclerosis, and peripheral and autonomic neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy usually affects the hands and feet and may cause numbness or pain. Autonomic neuropathy may manifest itself in several ways, including gastroparesis (leading to delayed gastric emptying and a feeling of nausea and fullness after meals), nocturnal diarrhea, impotence, and orthostatic hypotension.

Because hyperglycemia impairs the patient’s resistance to infection, diabetes may result in skin and urinary tract infections (UTIs) and vaginitis. Glucose content of the epidermis and urine encourages bacterial growth.

READ FULL BOOK TEXT ONLINE »

Diabetes insipidus: Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

The patient’s history typically shows an abrupt onset of extreme polyuria (usually 4 to 16 L/day of dilute urine but sometimes as much as 30 L/day). As a result, the patient is extremely thirsty and drinks great quantities of water to compensate for the body’s water loss. This disorder may also result in nocturia. In severe cases, it may lead to extreme fatigue from inadequate rest caused by frequent voiding and excessive thirst.

Other characteristic features of diabetes insipidus include signs and symptoms of dehydration (poor tissue turgor, dry mucous membranes, constipation, muscle weakness, dizziness, and hypotension). These symptoms usually begin abruptly, commonly appearing within 1 to 2 days after a basal skull fracture, a stroke, or surgery. Relieving cerebral edema or increased intracranial pressure may cause all of these symptoms to subside just as rapidly as they began.

READ FULL BOOK TEXT ONLINE »

Diabetic complications during pregnancy: Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)

All women should receive diagnostic screening for maternal diabetes mellitus during pregnancy. Women at higher risk or with a history of gestational diabetes, fetal or birth problems, may warrant early screening in the second trimester using a formal glucose tolerance test.

Uncontrolled diabetes in a pregnant woman can cause stillbirth, fetal anomalies, premature delivery, and birth of an infant who is large or small for gestational age. Such infants are predisposed to severe episodes of hypoglycemia shortly after birth. These infants may also develop hypocalcemia, hyperbilirubinemia, and respiratory distress syndrome.

READ FULL BOOK TEXT ONLINE »

Diabetes mellitus: Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)

Diabetes may begin dramatically with ketoacidosis in type 1 or insidiously. Its most common symptom is fatigue, from energy deficiency and a catabolic state. However, many patients with type 2 diabetes may be asymptomatic.

Insulin deficiency or resistance causes hyperglycemia, which pulls fluid from body tissues, causing osmotic diuresis, polyuria, dehydration, polydipsia, dry mucous membranes, and poor skin turgor. In ketoacidosis and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar nonketotic state, dehydration may cause hypovolemia and shock. Wasting of glucose in the urine usually produces weight loss and hunger in uncontrolled type 1 diabetes, even if the patient eats voraciously.

Long-term effects

In diabetes, long-term effects may include retinopathy, nephropathy, atherosclerosis, and peripheral and autonomic neuropathy.

Peripheral neuropathy usually affects the hands and feet and may cause numbness or pain. Autonomic neuropathy may manifest itself in several ways, including gastroparesis (leading to delayed gastric emptying and a feeling of nausea and fullness after meals), nocturnal diarrhea, impotence, and postural hypotension.

Because hyperglycemia impairs the patient’s resistance to infection, diabetes may result in skin and urinary tract infections and vaginitis. Glucose content of the epidermis and urine encourages bacterial growth.

READ FULL BOOK TEXT ONLINE »

Diabetes insipidus: Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)

The patient’s history typically shows an abrupt onset of extreme polyuria (usually 4 to 16 L/day of dilute urine, but sometimes as much as 30 L/day). As a result, the patient is extremely thirsty and drinks great quantities of water to compensate for the body’s water loss. This disorder may also result in hourly nocturia.

If the patient is unable to obtain adequate quantities of water, features of diabetes insipidus include signs and symptoms of dehydration (poor tissue turgor, dry mucous membranes, constipation, muscle weakness, dizziness, and hypotension). Polyuria usually begins abruptly, commonly appearing within 1 to 2 days after a basal skull fracture, a stroke, or surgery.

Relieving cerebral edema or increased intracranial pressure may cause all of these symptoms to subside just as rapidly as they began.

READ FULL BOOK TEXT ONLINE »

Article Excerpts About Symptoms of Diabetes:

Am I at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes: NIDDK (Excerpt)

Many people have no signs or symptoms. Symptoms can also be so mild that you might not even notice them. Five million people in the United States have type 2 diabetes and do not know it. Here is what to look for:

• increased thirst
• increased hunger
• fatigue
• increased urination, especially at night
• weight loss
• blurred vision
• sores that do not heal

Sometimes people have symptoms but do not suspect diabetes. They delay scheduling a checkup because they do not feel sick. Many people do not find out they have the disease until they have diabetes complications, such as blurry vision or heart trouble. It is important to find out early if you have diabetes because treatment can prevent damage to the body from diabetes. (Source: excerpt from Am I at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes: NIDDK)

Keep your kidneys healthy: NIDDK (Excerpt)

An early sign of kidney damage is when your kidneys leak small amounts of a protein called albumin (al-BYOO-min) into the urine.

With more damage, the kidneys leak more and more protein. This problem is called proteinuria (PRO-tee-NOOR-ee-uh). More and more wastes build up in the blood. This damage gets worse until the kidneys fail. (Source: excerpt from Keep your kidneys healthy: NIDDK)

Dealing With Diabetes - Age Page - Health Information: NIA (Excerpt)

Some people with diabetes feel "run down" or have symptoms that may go unrecognized. Others have symptoms such as feeling thirsty, urinating frequently, losing weight, feeling tired, having blurred vision, getting skin infections, and having slow healing cuts and bruises. These problems should be reported to a doctor right away. (Source: excerpt from Dealing With Diabetes - Age Page - Health Information: NIA)

Medical articles and books on symptoms:

These general reference articles may be of interest in relation to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:

• Diagnostic Testing for a Diagnosis of Diabetes
• Research Alternative Diagnoses for Diabetes
• How serious is Diabetes?
• More about Diabetes
• Online Diagnosis
• Self Diagnosis Pitfalls
• Pitfalls of Online Diagnosis
• Symptoms of the Silent Killer Diseases
• Lesser known silent killer diseases
• Books on signs and symptoms

Full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis

About signs and symptoms of Diabetes:

The symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Diabetes. This signs and symptoms information for Diabetes has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Diabetes signs or Diabetes symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Diabetes may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Diabetes symptoms.