Diabetes is a long-term health condition that impacts how your body uses insulin, leading to elevated blood sugar levels. In its early stages, the symptoms can be mild or easily overlooked.
But if diabetes goes undiagnosed and untreated, it can negatively affect both your health and your lifespan. That’s why catching it early is so important.
Below are some of the most common early warning signs of diabetes that can help you identify the disease before it worsens.
1. Persistent Itching
High blood sugar causes your kidneys to work harder, leading to excess sugar being expelled through urine. This process draws moisture from your tissues — including your skin — leaving it dry and irritated.
Constant scratching can lead to skin damage or infections. People with diabetes are also more susceptible to fungal infections, which can further contribute to itchy skin.
2. Patches of Dark Skin
A skin condition called acanthosis nigricans is characterized by dark, thickened, velvety areas, usually appearing on the neck, underarms, groin, elbows, or finger joints.
While it can happen in healthy individuals, it’s often tied to insulin resistance and may be one of the first visible signs of prediabetes or diabetes.
Diabetes is a long-term health condition that impacts how your body uses insulin, leading to elevated blood sugar levels. In its early stages, the symptoms can be mild or easily overlooked.
But if diabetes goes undiagnosed and untreated, it can negatively affect both your health and your lifespan. That’s why catching it early is so important.
Below are some of the most common early warning signs of diabetes that can help you identify the disease before it worsens.
1. Persistent Itching
High blood sugar causes your kidneys to work harder, leading to excess sugar being expelled through urine. This process draws moisture from your tissues — including your skin — leaving it dry and irritated.
Constant scratching can lead to skin damage or infections. People with diabetes are also more susceptible to fungal infections, which can further contribute to itchy skin.
2. Patches of Dark Skin
A skin condition called acanthosis nigricans is characterized by dark, thickened, velvety areas, usually appearing on the neck, underarms, groin, elbows, or finger joints.
While it can happen in healthy individuals, it’s often tied to insulin resistance and may be one of the first visible signs of prediabetes or diabetes.
