Have your ever been screened for diabetes? Did you know that there are an estimated 7 million people in America with undiagnosed diabetes and 79 million people with pre-diabetes? This is according to the American Diabetes Association.
Undiagnosed diabetes can have some serious consequences and complications including eye problems, skin infections, heart disease, kidney disease, hearing loss and even depression, among others. With adequate diagnosis and treatment, many of these issues could be lessened or even avoided altogether.
So when should you get screened for diabetes and what is involved? Usually, all that is required is a simple urine or blood test to determine if you have the condition. If you are diagnosed through a screening, you will be given guidelines and treatment from your doctor. Not every case is the same, and treatment can consist of anything from changing your diet to monitoring your blood sugar and managing your diabetes with the use of regular shots of insulin.
Everyone over the age of 45 should get a diabetes screening at least once every three years, as standard care. If you have a history of the disease in your family or have any other risk factors, you should be screened earlier than this.
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Common risk factors beside family history include obesity, gestational diabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome.
Common symptoms of both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes are frequent urination, unusual thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss and extreme fatigue and irritability. Other symptoms may include frequent infections, blurred vision, cuts/bruises that are slow to heal, tingling/numbness in the hands/feet, and recurring skin, gum, or bladder infections.
Some people who have diabetes never experience any obvious symptoms at all, which is why it is so important to get screened. To learn more, you can visit the American Diabetes Association: http://www.diabetes.org