Despite being a prevalent disease all over the world, the instances of diagnosing diabetes in the early stages are surprisingly low. To establish what are the early signs of diabetes, we need to recognize some warnings we can look out for from the beginning.
It is important to note that Type I Diabetes manifests itself fairly quickly with severe symptoms that are easy to catch. Still, Type II Diabetes is diagnosed relatively later since the symptoms are more drawn out and lead to lasting damage.
What are The 10 Early Signs of Diabetes?
The signs and symptoms can range from very subtle to very obvious. Every person experiences a different combination of symptoms with variable severity. So if you are wondering how I would know if I had diabetes, here are the top 10 signs that can help you recognize the onset of this condition:
1) Frequent Urination
To answer “what are the ten early signs of diabetes,” the most common high blood sugar level symptom is polyuria or frequent peeing. People might even experience nocturnal enuresis that involves waking up to urinate at night more than normal.
This happens because when your blood sugar is too high, your kidneys work overtime to remove that sugar from your body. To remove excess sugar, they start excreting sugar via urine, which is why you begin to urinate more and more.
2) Excessive Thirst
When you start urinating frequently, it means that your body is depleted of water, eventually leading to dehydration. This will cause you to experience excessive thirst or polydipsia, even though drinking more water won’t satisfy your thirst.
If you are asking yourself how would I know if I had diabetes, this is a sure sign that you need to take a blood sugar test.
3) Repeated Infections
People with diabetes, especially women, are more likely to experience urinary tract or yeast infections. This happens because the excess sugar in your urine, coupled with a warm, moist environment, is the perfect breeding ground for yeasts and bacteria.
4) Excessive Hunger
Diabetics often experience polyphagia or excessive hunger because their body cells cannot absorb glucose correctly, which is their prime energy source. This means that your body cannot derive sufficient energy from your food and is always looking for more food.
5) Weight Loss
When your body doesn’t get enough energy from your food, it will start looking for alternate energy sources. These include the proteins from your muscles and fat stored in your adipose tissues. So, diabetes can lead to unexplained weight loss unrelated to your diet.
6) Persistent Fatigue

Persistent fatigue in diabetic patients is related to dehydration and lack of energy from food. Losing ample water in urine can cause water deprivation in the body and cause constant exhaustion.
The same principle applies when your body cannot derive sufficient energy from the food you eat. Lack of energy from food can leave you feeling tired and fatigued. Since this is a general symptom that can be attributed to many causes, people often don’t recognize it as a sign of DM.
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7) Poor Vision
One of the later signs that you might notice as a diabetic is your deteriorating vision. High blood glucose levels can negatively impact the blood vessels in your eyes, leading to poor vision. In the long term, this vision change could worsen or become permanent if you don’t get it treated.
8) Poor Healing
Diabetes can cause immense damage to your nerves and blood vessels, impacting your blood circulation. Poor circulation can be detrimental when you have a wound because it will restrict the reach of nutrients and oxygen to the damaged parts.
9) Tingling/Numbness
Nerve damage and poor blood circulation can lead to tingling and numbness in your limbs.
10) Dark Skin Patches
Diabetic patients can have dark, velvety patches of skin in some areas, such as the groin, armpits, and neck, due to excessive blood insulin levels.
Wrapping Up!
Recognizing diabetes early on can save you from a lot of lasting damage. If you were wondering, “what are the ten early signs of diabetes,” this article must have answered all your questions. Now you don’t have to worry; how would I know if I had diabetes?
Don’t delay! Visit a doctor for a definitive diagnosis and subsequent treatment.