Diabetes Mellitus Symptoms

Diabetes mellitus is the official name for the group of metabolic diseases which are commonly referred to as simply diabetes. The concept of diabetes mellitus has been around for thousands of years although not by that name. In ancient records the condition was characterized by muscle loss and sweet urine. Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition that can be managed and controlled through proper diet, exercise and medication; but it is not curable at this time.

Diabetes mellitus occurs because of elevated levels of glucose in the blood. That excess glucose is transferred over to the urine. In a normal body the hormone insulin maintains a rigid control over the level of glucose in the blood. This insulin is produced in the pancreas. As the body needs insulin, it is released. When the insulin hits the blood stream, it lowers the glucose level back to a normal range. When a person has diabetes mellitus, there glucose level fluctuates just like a normal person. The problem is that they don?t have enough insulin to regulate the glucose. This lack of insulin is known as hyperglycemia.

Because diabetes mellitus is such a serious condition, it is important to be on the lookout for symptoms in yourself and in your friends and family. Diabetes mellitus creates a higher level of glucose in the urine. This is because the glucose level in the blood has reached such a high level that it transfers over to the urine. When the urine has too much glucose it reacts differently than normal. The body is prompted to urinate more often. This increased urination can lead to dehydration. Dehydration is characterized by a marked increase in thirst and water/fluid consumption.

Diabetes mellitus means that the body is not producing insulin at all or not enough to address the glucose level in the blood. This lack of insulin has an impact on the body?s protein, fat and carbohydrate processing. Insulin is a type of hormone known as an anabolic hormone. This means that it works to help the body store fat and protein. Without enough insulin in the body, a person experiences weight loss even though they have not reduced the type or amount of food they eat.

In addition to these symptoms, some people with untreated diabetes mellitus experience fatigue and nausea. Some develop infections of the bladder and vaginal areas. The extreme changes in blood glucose levels can cause blurred vision. If left untreated, diabetes mellitus can cause extreme lethargy and even a coma.

Some people don?t take diabetes mellitus serious because the symptoms are annoying but not severe enough in most cases to stop the performance of everyday activities. However when diabetes mellitus goes untreated the damage to the body continues and the results can be extreme, even deadly. Untreated diabetes mellitus can cause blindness, kidney failure and nerve damage. The risk of a stroke is increased because the diabetes mellitus increases the rate of hardening in the arteries.

Millions of people are getting treatment for diabetes, but it is estimated that millions more have the disease and are not aware of it. For these people it is critical that they become informed about the symptoms and seek medical treatment as soon as possible. The longer diabetes mellitus goes untreated, the more damage it inflicts on the body.

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