Early signs of type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a condition that develops over time & often the body is still able to produce insulin without treatment.

As such, type 2 diabetes can even develop without symptoms to begin with. This means that some people with type 2 diabetes might only notice symptoms that usually occur for long-term complications.

Some of these complications and symptoms are:

• Cuts that take a longer time to heal
• Fungal or bacterial infections; leading to rashes or blisters
• Other skin conditions, such as Diabetic Dermopathy
• Tingling sensation or numbness in the hands or feet & high blood pressure

Why do these symptoms happen?
If blood sugar remains high over a longer period of time, it can damage the blood vessels and the blood's normal contribution to the immune system. This is known as hyperglycaemia.

When hyperglycaemia affects the immune system, the body is slower at responding to repair and fight off foreign bodies – hence the cuts or infections that take longer to heal. Damage to the blood vessels means poor blood circulation to the skin, resulting in skin conditions.
The nerves are also supplied by the blood vessels. Therefore damaged blood vessels can mean damaged nerves, which causes tingling or numbness (the beginnings of diabetic neuropathy). This blood vessel damage can also lead to high blood pressure and other cardiovascular complications.

If you experience any of the symptoms listed in this video, it may be an early sign of diabetes, so to be safe, schedule a checkup with your healthcare professional as soon as possible.