Signs of Pre-Diabetes
What is pre-diabetes?
Pre-diabetes is when blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be called diabetes.
If you have pre-diabetes, then you are at 10 to 20 times greater risk of going on to develop type 2 diabetes. If you have been told you have pre-diabetes, it is important to make lasting changes to your lifestyle, including healthy eating, exercising and losing weight, to prevent type 2 diabetes as well as its complications.
What are the signs of pre-diabetes?
There are normally no symptoms of pre-diabetes — most people find out they have it if their doctor orders a blood test. This might happen because they are at risk of pre-diabetes (see below).
See your doctor if you have any signs that your pre-diabetes has moved on to type 2 diabetes, including:
- Increased thirst.
- Frequent urination.
- Increased hunger.
- Fatigue.
- Blurred vision.
- Numbness or tingling in the feet or hands.
- Frequent infections.
- Slow-healing sores.
Who is at risk of pre-diabetes?
The risk factors for pre-diabetes are the same as those for type 2 diabetes. They include:
- being overweight, especially if your waist measures more than 94cm for men and more than 80cm for women
- having an inactive lifestyle
- having low HDL (good) cholesterol and also high triglycerides
- having high blood pressure
- having a family history of type 2 diabetes or heart disease
- having gestational diabetes during pregnancy
- having polycystic ovary syndrome
- being Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander or from the Pacific Islands, Māori or from Asia (including the Indian sub-continent)
Are you experiencing any of these symptoms? One of our chiropodist/podiatrist can assist and then recommend what treatment options are best to get you back on track. ✅
Schedule an appointment here or you may call us at 44 (0) 207 101 4000. 📞
We hope you have a feetastic day! 👣☀️
-The Chelsea Clinic and Team