High levels of sugar in the blood of a person is known as hyperglycemia, which is measured by taking a blood sample from a prick in the finger. High glucose levels (high blood sugar) can be separately measured or as a part of another blood test. Also, a glucometer, a hand held device can measure the levels of blood glucose, without requiring a visit to the doctor.
Hyperglycemia is the trademark signature of diabetes, both type 1 and type 2 diabetes as well as prediabetes. While the normal range of blood sugar measurements can vary from one lab to the other, fasting glucose level is said to be normal if it is between 70-100 mg/dL. If a meal is eaten, the glucose levels will rise by a slight margin but not more than 125 mg/dL. Anything above that is an indication of diabetes.
High blood sugar symptoms
- Being always thirsty and frequent urination: This is one of the subtle and common signs of high blood sugar. Excessive urination is known as polyuria pand this happens when the glucose levels are high in the blood and the kidneys work more to rid the body of excessive glucose. The excess sugar gets flushed out in the form of urine, and as a result you will feel dizzy and dehydrated.
- You are losing weight but feel more hungry: A lot of people who have high blood sugar have increased levels of hunger, a symptom that is called polyphagia. Even if you eat more, you will find yourself losing weight without sufficient reason, a sign that your blood sugar levels are high. The body, unable to get energy from glucose, turns to the fat and the muscle and breaks them down to get energy, and you will have unhealthy and unintentional weight loss.
- Constant fatigue and tiredness: Extreme tiredness and fatigue are sure signs of an uncontrolled level of blood sugar in the body. At a time when the body is unable to process the insulin in a proper manner or does not have sufficient insulin levels, the sugar in the blood does not enter the cells so that they can be used for energy. Dehydration is caused by frequent urination, which contributes to the feeling of fatigue.
- Frequent headache and blurry vision: If you have high blood sugar you may feel that you vision is not as clear as it should be, this is because high levels of blood sugar leads to the lenses of the eye getting swollen. This may give rise to headaches as well.
- Sores heal slower: If there is excessive blood sugar in the body, bruises, scrapes and cuts will take longer to dry up and heal. Circulation is negatively affected in cases of high blood sugar and this delays healing.
- Numbness and tingling in the limbs: High blood sugar levels cause diabetic neuropathy, a condition that causes damage to the nerves, and you might fell a tingling sensation or numbness in your hands and feet. It can also manifest as pain in the limbs.
- Dry skin, blisters and other kinds of skin changes: You might experience areas on the skin that are soft, dark and thick , especially on the nape of the neck, the armpits and hands, face or any other area. It is a sign of insulin resistance, and other signs are discolorations, dryness, itchiness, infections or blisters on the skin.
If you are experiencing any of the above high blood sugar symptoms, it could be a sign that you have high blood sugar. Get the blood sugar level measured at a lab and consult your doctor immediately