Commentary: Unable to look sideways? Unusual signs of diabetes often unnoticed, ignored or denied
SINGAPORE: A patient once consulted me considering his optics could not await sideways.
He was surprised when I said nosotros needed to bank check his blood glucose level, equally part of routine medical tests, as this symptom could suggest diabetes as a possible cause.
And but as I suspected, his subsequent test results revealed he had diabetes.
Diabetes, as a status where the body produces bereft insulin resulting in loftier blood sugar levels, can give rising to a wide array of acute and less commonly talked-well-nigh but related complications such equally blindness and kidney failure.
In this human being's instance, his diabetes had damaged claret vessels and nerves, and paralysed muscles in his eyes that control center movements. He recovered after a few months after receiving treatment and practising ways to place his diabetes under control.
Many people similar him accept seen me for complaints seemingly unrelated to diabetes, including multiple episodes of skin abscesses, numbness in their fingertips and blurring vision. They did not showroom any mutual symptoms and however were somewhen diagnosed every bit diabetics.
A DREADED DISEASE
In his 2022 National Day Rally spoken communication, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong highlighted diabetes as a serious national problem facing Singapore. While the affliction is well-known and frequently cautioned about, the increasing frequency of its diagnoses paints a sobering picture.
Today, one in nine Singaporeans has diabetes. This figure is 3 in 10 or those over lx. In 2014, about 440,000 Singapore residents aged 18 years and above had diabetes, and this number is estimated to grow to 1 million in 2050.
As a family physician for more than than xx years, I take diagnosed my fair share of diabetes patients.
But like what Mr Lee mentioned in his speech, one main claiming dealing with this dreaded disease is information technology hardly has whatsoever clear symptoms in its early on stages, and often presents itself in many diverse and surprising means.
READ: Not just sugar: You might be eating your way to pre-diabetes and not even know it
Patients might ignore early symptoms and merely proceed with their lives despite experiencing discomforts like increased fatigue, or attribute these to other reasons like stress at work or the hot conditions.
Common symptoms include increased thirst, unexplained weight loss and tiredness – signs that often go unnoticed as patients do not feel ill and consult a doctor. Years could become by earlier one finds out about their status.
The torso is also very adaptable to alter, meaning diabetes can be silent because symptoms simply testify after pregnant damage has been inflicted.
Without early diagnosis, medical intervention and proper management, diabetes can eventually pb to disabilities and other life-threatening diseases even though it is not fatal in the short term.
Many with diabetes also suffer from high cholesterol and high claret pressure. If they fume, diabetes compounds their risks of centre assail, stroke and kidney.
Those who suffer from diabetes may experience substantial organ damage by the time they start treatment, owing to diabetes remaining undetected for years.
PREGNANT WOMEN AT RISK
Pregnant women would do well to heed caution where gestational diabetes afflicts many non-diabetic pregnant adult female, usually in the second or third trimester of pregnancy.
Near 10 per cent of pregnant women endure from this condition. Raging pregnancy hormones increase as the pregnancy advances and counteract the action of insulin.
Thankfully, information technology tin can be discovered during the early pregnancy screening, and insulin injections tin keep the pregnancy viable.
Only gestational diabetes poses risks to both foetus and mother, including greater risks of early labour or premature nascence and low blood sugar in the baby soon after nascency.
Both mother and child also face increased chances of developing diabetes later in life.
POTENTIAL DIABETICS IN SELF-Deprival
The most worrying segment of diabetics are those at high adventure but as well in huge denial even when they feel glaring symptoms of this disease.
I accept met many overweight and obese patients who continue to brand unhealthy lifestyle choices and alive lives of inactivity, despite having a family history of diabetes, which increases their susceptibility to the illness.
And then many engage in excessive eating and atomic number 82 sedentary lifestyles, without any effort to exercise.
READ: Only because you're thin doesn't mean you're good for you, a commentary
A 2022 study led by the National University Hospital and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, found that Asians are more decumbent to Type 2 diabetes than our Western counterparts.
Asians are more decumbent to develop diabetes at much lower levels of obesity because they are unable to mountain an appropriate insulin response to a glucose load, the study shows.
READ: Love of food, lack of activeness leave Singaporeans vulnerable to diabetes, a commentary
READ: Why are we so afraid to talk about obesity? A commentary
Furthermore, Singapore's rapid evolution has led to changes in our daily lifestyles – causing the boilerplate Singaporean to become less agile and eat more loftier-caloric diets. Both these habits further exacerbate the risk of obesity, and consequently, diabetes.
LIVING WELL WITH DIABETES
Despite all this, the prognosis isn't all bad. Even though diabetes tin can nowadays itself in surprising means, the disease tin be managed and controlled once detected.
I was impressed with one patient's commitment in irresolute his lifestyle that allowed him to lose 10kg of his initial bodyweight of 75kg in one year.
The patient, Mr Chan, managed it by waking upwards one hour before every 24-hour interval to become for brisk walks, cutting out all sweet drinks, replacing his favourite roti prata breakfast with a slice of wholemeal bread, and cut down his rice intake.
Today, Mr Chan is on just i bones medicine for his diabetes, and has it well nether control.
READ: Let's exercise ownership over our wellness, not wait for illness to gear up in, a commentary
Having diabetes is not a expiry sentence. It is more like a life sentence.
Most diabetics can live comfortably without suffering the dire complications of diabetes past making sensible healthy nutrient choices, committing to regular exercises, and adhering to daily medicine.
But early detection is a critical beginning step and being mindful it can manifest in many ways should give u.s. crusade to be more vigilant.
Dr Philip Koh is Chairman of the Medical Board of Healthway Medical Group. He is also a Family Physician who practices at Healthway Medical Tampines Clinic.
Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/unusual-signs-of-diabetes-unnoticed-ignored-denial-219881
Post a Comment for "Commentary: Unable to look sideways? Unusual signs of diabetes often unnoticed, ignored or denied"