Don't Let Diabetes Sneak Up on You: Know These 6 Early Signs

The early warning signs of diabetes can be subtle and easy to brush off as just another part of getting older. Paying attention to the signals your body sends can make a big difference for your long-term wellness.

At Bridgewater Primary Care & Cardiology, LLC, we understand the importance of detecting conditions like diabetes early and proactively managing them. Our team, led by John Terzian, MD, FACC, helps you stay on top of your health with a comprehensive range of services, including convenient in-house labs for fast and accurate testing.

Are you at risk of developing diabetes? Don’t let it sneak up on you. Here, we discuss six early signs that you should know about.

Watch out for these early indicators

More than 37 million Americans live with diabetes, a chronic condition that impacts how your body regulates glucose, or blood sugar. It can lead to serious complications over time, impacting everything from your eyes and nerves to your kidneys and heart. There are two main types of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. Your immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in your pancreas. Insulin is the hormone that controls blood sugar levels.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is more common — 90-95% of people with diabetes have Type 2 — and it occurs when the body doesn’t make enough insulin or doesn’t use it efficiently (insulin resistance). In most cases, it develops slowly over time, linked to factors like diet, weight, and genetics.

There’s also prediabetes, a condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal but aren’t high enough for a diabetes diagnosis. The good news is that prediabetes is often reversible through healthy lifestyle changes, but without intervention, it can lead to Type 2 diabetes.

When your body is struggling to manage blood sugar effectively, you might start to notice some subtle changes, but they aren’t always obvious. Watch  for these six signs:

1. Feeling hungrier and/or thirstier than usual
2. Needing to urinate more often, especially at night
3. Persistent fatigue that doesn’t get better with rest
4. Unexplained itchy or dry skin
5. Blurry vision that comes and goes
6. Darkened patches of skin in areas such as the armpits, neck, or groin

These symptoms aren’t definite signs that you have diabetes; they can be related to other things happening in your body. If you’re experiencing unexplained changes, particularly if you have risk factors for diabetes, such as a family history of the condition, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or obesity, it’s wise to take them seriously. 

Dr. Terzian can determine whether blood sugar screening is necessary or if we should investigate other causes.

Why early detection matters

Recognizing the signs of diabetes early means that you can start managing your blood sugar levels sooner, whether through healthy adjustments to your routine or medication. Timely intervention may be able to prevent or delay some of the more serious complications that diabetes can cause, such as:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Nerve damage, often leading to foot problems
• Permanent eye damage or blindness
• Kidney disease
• Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia

Regular checkups and screenings are an important part of your long-term diabetes care. Our team can help you avoid these complications by measuring and monitoring your blood glucose levels, prescribing and adjusting medications, and offering advice on essential changes like diet and exercise.

Don’t let diabetes silently erode your health. Schedule an appointment to check your blood sugar levels at Bridgewater Primary Care & Cardiology in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts.