Paresthesias in the hands or feet
Paresthesias are unusual sensations like numbness, tingling, prickling or burning. They reflect a dysfunction of peripheral sensory nerves caused by neurotoxicity from sustained high blood sugar levels. The condition is temporary; recovery follows as glucose levels become closer to normal.
Dry mouth
The presence of dry mouth is frequent among diabetic patients. In addition to the lack of saliva, this symptom can be accompanied by irritation at the corners of the mouth, inflammation of the gums, and yeast or fungal infections of the tongue and inner side of the cheeks. Oral infections manifest themselves in white patches in the mouth, redness of the tongue and cracking of the skin at the corner of the lips.
Diabetes fatigue syndrome
Individuals with diabetes often complain about feeling tired, despite having slept well. It could be a result of being stressed out or overworked, but it could also be related to having too high or too low blood glucose levels.
Fatigue is a frequently encountered symptom of diabetes. It is defined as physical and/or mental exhaustion. Fatigue may be the only symptom of diabetes, or it may present as one of a combination of complaints. Most often it occurs particularly in the form of tiredness after a meal.
The mechanism of fatigability is as follows: insulin deficiency or impairments in its functioning cause glucose to persist in the bloodstream as it can’t enter the cells and so the body doesn’t receive the energy it needs. As a result, we feel tired. When blood sugar levels are low, the same pattern occurs. A reason to suspect your glucose level is low is experiencing tiredness accompanied by a headache when waking up despite a proper night’s sleep. In this case it may be useful to measure blood sugar levels during the night.
Diabetes and fatigue seem to make each other worse, thereby creating a vicious cycle. The inability to self-manage diabetes may lead to frustration and a sense of fatigability, which in turn may prevent efforts to manage and control the condition.
