But 21% of adults with diabetes are unaware they have the disease, according to theCDC.
What Is High Blood Sugar?
High blood sugar (or hyperglycemia) pops up if theres a buildup of excess glucose in the bloodstream.
Wachara Kireewong / EyeEm / Getty Images
This is more often a concern for someone withdiabetesthan it is for someone without it.
But in some situations, like when a person has diabetes, high blood sugar can happen.
This keeps the amount of glucose in the blood within a pretty tight range.
A fasting blood sugar of 70 mg/dL or lower usually indicates low blood sugar, theMayo Clinicsays.
But when someone has diabetes, this finely tuned system gets thrown out of whack.
And intype 1 diabetes, the body does not make insulin or makes very little.
And most people with prediabetes actually have no symptoms, per theNIDDK.
Early on, hyperglycemia can make you feel off in a variety of ways:
1.
Fatigue
Feeling tiredmay be the most common early sign of high blood sugar, Dr. Hatipoglu says.
To be clear,theres nothing wrong with eating these foods.
And as they excrete the sugar, they pull out water with it, Dr. Hatipoglu explains.
This makes you have tovisit the bathroommore than usual.
Increased thirst
This is a natural effect of peeing more, Dr. Adimoolam explains, because your body becomesdehydrated.
People start feeling thirsty all the time, Dr. Hatipoglu says.
Headaches
Dehydration from any cause can trigger headaches, Dr. Hatipoglu says.
(The dehydration can also worsen your fatigue in addition to your headaches, by the way.)
National Library of Medicine.
National Library of Medicine.
(More rarely, DKA can occur to a milder degree in key in 2 diabetes.
National Library of Medicineexplains.
DKA can be fatal if left untreated, so anyone experiencing these symptoms should seek care immediately.
Over time, untreated high blood sugar can cause additional symptoms, such as:
7.
Recurrent infections
Consistent hyperglycemia can weaken the bodys immune response, according to theCDC.
Dr. Hatipoglu especially tends to seefrequent yeast infectionsin people with vaginas who have diabetes.
Diabetes can also make you more prone toUTIs, according to theCDC.
Dental issues
Glucose is present in yoursalivaas well as your blood.
This leads to issues like tooth decay, cavities, gingivitis, gum disease, and bad breath.
Swollen, tender, and bleedinggumsare one of the first things to look out for.
The most common kind of neuropathy is peripheral, according to theNIDDK, which affects the extremities.
Diagnosis
If your doctor suspects you might have diabetes, they may order testing.
Additional reporting by Korin Miller.
