10 Signs and Symptoms of
Hyperglycemia
With diabetes affecting so many people these days, more of us are likely to be hearing words such as hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia more frequently. While hypoglycemia is a condition that means a person’s blood sugar levels are too low, hyperglycemia is the opposite, and means that a person’s blood sugar levels are too high. Both of these conditions can be dangerous, although hyperglycemia is the one that we will focus on today. The following are common symptoms of hyperglycemia to watch out for.
(a) Increased Hunger: The medical name for this is called polyphagia but it simply means that a person experiences increased hunger. They may find themselves feeling hungry shortly after eating and wanting to be snacking all day long when they had previously managed to limit their snacking between meals. This is caused by the reduced ability to metabolize sugar, and since sugar is a key nutrient for every cell in the body, they become malnourished and signal the brain that more food is needed to keep the body functioning, which results in feelings of hunger.
(b) Increased thirst: There’s a fancy medical term for this symptom as well, and it’s called polydipsia. Normally the kidneys will absorb glucose in the bloodstream and recycle it, making it available to supply the body’s cells. When there is too much glucose in the bloodstream, the kidneys are not able to keep up with absorbing it and will simply discard it by excreting it in the urine. The increased urination that results can often cause dehydration and cause a person to feel thirsty.
(c) Increased Urination: Here’s a symptom that will be difficult or impossible to ignore. Increased urination, also called polyuria, can cause a very noticeable increase in the frequency of urination, volume of urine passed, or both. As detailed above, the excess glucose in the blood that results from hyperglycemia causes the kidneys to simply discard it with the urine, making the kidneys work harder and produce much more urine than normal.
(d) Blurred vision: High glucose levels in the blood may cause the lenses in the eyes to swell. Any change in shape or size of the lenses will cause vision changes which commonly result in blurred vision. This is a problem that should be addressed as soon as possible since it can lead to permanent changes in vision.
(e) Weight Loss: When one thinks of excess sugar in the bloodstream, weight loss may not sound like the most logical outcome, but it can happen. It actually makes sense when you break it down to understand the process. Since the body is not able to process the sugar in the bloodstream, the body’s cells that require it do not get the nourishment they need. In response the body will begin to tap into fat reserves that are stored in various areas, and as it is depleted to use for energy, weight loss can occur.
(f) Slow Wound Healing: For people with hyperglycemia, the natural healing functions of the body can be slowed, sometimes quite dramatically. There is more than one reason that hyperglycemia can cause would healing to become much slower than normal. High glucose levels can cause blood vessels to narrow, reducing blood flow and causing slower healing. High glucose also has a negative effect on the red blood cells that are key to the healing process. Wounds that take longer to heal are much more susceptible to infection, making this a potentially dangerous condition.
(g) Dry mouth: Dry mouth, or xerostomia as it is also known, is another symptom that may be an indicator of hyperglycemia. It can result due to the way high blood sugar levels disrupt the function of the salivary glands. Dry mouth can can cause very significant difficulty with eating and swallowing, and for people who wear dentures, it is more likely for them to develop sores and to have increased difficulty keeping their dentures in place. Since saliva is necessary for the health of both teeth and gums, there is an increases likelihood of other dental problems as well.
(h) Dry skin and Itchy Skin: High blood sugar levels may also cause a reduction of moisture in the body which can result in dry skin. With nerve damage being another potential complication of hyperglycemia, it can interfere with the body’s ability to perspire which could also dry the skin. Dry skin is more prone to cracking and itching, which creates an increased risk of injury to the skin, which could become serious due to the reduced ability of the body to heal itself quickly, making infection a greater risk.
(j) Seizures: Seizures are a frightening and potentially dangerous symptom that are believed to be triggered by high blood sugar levels in some individuals. Normal brain function relies heavily on a steady supply of oxygen-rich blood which also carries vital nutrients. Hyperglycemia may interfere with the delivery of those nutrients and could trigger seizures. Researchers are still not positive about the link between hyperglycemia and seizures but there is evidence to suggest it, and the likelihood of seizures will vary significantly from person to person.
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