Diabetes Symptoms & Early Detection: Signs You Should Not Ignore

Common symptoms of diabetes

• Frequent urination, especially at night
• Excessive thirst and dry mouth
• Increased hunger even after eating
• Unexplained weight loss (more typical in type 1) or steady weight gain
• Persistent tiredness and weakness
• Blurred vision
• Slow-healing cuts, wounds or recurring infections of skin, gums or urinary tract
• Tingling, numbness or burning in the hands and feet
• Dark, velvety patches of skin on the neck or underarms

Who is at higher risk?

• Age above 30–35 years
• Parent or sibling with diabetes
• Overweight or a large waist circumference
• Little physical activity
• High blood pressure or high cholesterol
• History of gestational diabetes or PCOS

Tests used for early detection

Diabetes is confirmed with simple blood tests. Your doctor will advise which are right for you:

• Fasting plasma glucose: blood sugar after at least 8 hours without food.
• Post-prandial (after-meal) glucose: sugar about 2 hours after eating.
• HbA1c: reflects your average blood sugar over the last 2–3 months and needs no fasting.
• Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT): used in some cases, including screening during pregnancy.

Pre-diabetes: the window of opportunity

Blood sugar that is higher than normal but not yet in the diabetic range is called pre-diabetes. At this stage, weight loss, regular exercise and diet changes can often prevent progression to full diabetes.