Diabetes: The itchy sign that could be signalling the condition – ‘visit your GP’

Diabetes type 2: Dr Zoe Williams discusses high blood sugar risks

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The tricky aspect of diabetes is that early warning signs tend to be “general”. Without knowing what to look for, you could go about your life for years without knowing about the condition. Here are the symptoms to help you spot the signs.

Diabetes is a life-long condition in which your blood glucose levels become high.

This diagnosis currently targets almost five million people in the UK, with this figure set to rise to affect one in 10 by 2030.

The scary part about leaving your blood sugar levels untreated is the complications it can trigger, ranging from heart disease to nerve damage.

Fortunately, once you identify your symptoms, including an itchy sign, and get a diagnosis, you can manage the condition through treatment and lifestyle modifications.

While everyone gets itchy every now and then, the areas and underlying cause are what makes diabetes itch different.

It all comes down to high blood sugar. Since insulin can’t help take it up from your blood, the glucose can build up instead.

Once you suffer from high blood sugar levels over a long period of time, it can also cause itchy skin.

Also, diabetes complications, such as nerve damage or kidney disease, can sometimes cause itching as well.

The “common” areas of your body where the itch can ravage are feet, legs, ankles, according to the diabetes portal.

The NHS adds that another spot where diabetic patients experience itching is their genitals.

Ranging from annoying to severe, the itch should prompt you to see a doctor, especially, when it’s persistent.

As itching can be quite a generic sign, other diabetes symptoms could help you spot the condition too.

According to the health service, more symptoms include:

• Feeling very thirsty
• Peeing more frequently than usual (particularly at night)
• Feeling very tired
• Weight loss and loss of muscle bulk
• Frequent episodes of thrush (a common yeast infection)
• Cuts or wounds healing slowly
• Blurred vision.

You should “visit your GP as soon as possible” if you struggle with these symptoms.

In case you’re not aware, there are two main types of diabetes – type 1 and type 2.

While type 1 can develop “quickly” in weeks or just days, type 2 can be present for years without you even knowing about it.

If you are diagnosed with diabetes, you might have to switch up your lifestyle habits, including your diet and exercise.

When you have type 1 diabetes, you will also need to take insulin injections.

And with type 2, you might require medicine later on as the condition progresses.

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