When you have diabetes, your body has trouble using a sugar called glucose for energy. The sugar level in your blood becomes too high. Diabetes is a lifelong (chronic) condition. It can cause serious health problems if you don't get treatment. Or it can cause life-threatening conditions, such as ketoacidosis.
Signs of diabetes
Are any of these questions true for you? If yes, see your doctor.
- Do you feel tired all the time?
- Do you urinate often?
- Do you feel thirsty or hungry all the time?
- Are you losing weight for no reason?
- Do cuts and bruises heal slowly?
- Do you have numbness or tingling in your fingers or toes?
- Do you have blurry vision?
What puts you at risk?
People of all backgrounds can get diabetes. But it more often affects:
- African Americans
- Alaskan Natives
- Native Americans
- Hispanics
- Asian Americans
- Pacific Islanders
Other things can raise your risk. They include:
- Having prediabetes
- Having a family history of diabetes
- Being overweight
- Being over age 35
- Having diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes)
- Not getting enough physical activity
- Taking certain medicines
Why worry about diabetes?
Here's why having diabetes is a problem:
- Diabetes keeps your body from turning food into energy.
- It can cause problems with your eyes, kidneys, nerves, and feet. It can also harm your heart and blood vessels.
- Diabetes that is not under control can make it hard to live a healthy life.
Related Articles
Diabetes: Overview
Diabetes is a long-term health problem that means your body does not make enough insulin or your body cannot use the insulin it makes. Read on to learn more.
Type 2 Diabetes
When your body can't make enough insulin or can't use insulin, it is called type 2 diabetes. Read on to learn more about this condition.
Facts About Diabetes
When you have diabetes, your body doesn't make enough insulin. Or it can't use the insulin that it makes. Read on to learn more about this condition.
Understanding Type 2 Diabetes
When your body is working normally, the food you eat is digested and used as fuel. This fuel supplies energy to the body's cells. When you have diabetes, the fuel can't enter the cells. Learn more with this helpful article and diagrams.
