Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsFrequent UrinationExcessive ThirstHungerUnexplained Weight LossFatigueVision ChangesTingling and NumbnessDry SkinRecurrent Yeast InfectionsSores That Don’t HealFrequently Asked Questions

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Frequent Urination

Excessive Thirst

Hunger

Unexplained Weight Loss

Fatigue

Vision Changes

Tingling and Numbness

Dry Skin

Recurrent Yeast Infections

Sores That Don’t Heal

Frequently Asked Questions

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 8.5 million Americans have undiagnosed diabetes.Type 2 diabetessymptoms can come on gradually over time. Because of this, you might not notice symptoms at first.

This article discusses 10 early signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes to watch out for. Once you start to notice these signs, take steps to see a healthcare provider and get tested.

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Person drinking water

Need to Urinate Frequently

Polyuria, or the need to urinate frequently, is a classic symptom of diabetes. Normally, the kidneys are able to filter the blood and send glucose (sugar) from the blood to be reabsorbed back into the bloodstream.

Whenblood glucoselevels become high, the body starts to make more urine. This is because the kidneys are not able to reabsorb all of the extra glucose and direct it back into the bloodstream.

When this happens, the extra glucose ends up spilling over into the urine, which pulls more water along with it, creating more urine.Once blood glucose levels return to normal, the need to urinate frequently should go away.

Early Detection of Type 2 Diabetes in ChildrenAlthough more commonly diagnosed in adults, children can develop type 2 diabetes. Early signs and symptoms are similar to those in adults. In children, frequent urination can often present as new nighttimebed-wetting.Factors that can raise the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in children include:Having a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetesBeing overweight or having obesityGoing through pubertyHavingpolycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS)Being born to a person withgestational diabetes(diabetes during pregnancy)Are Black, Latinx, Native American, Alaska Native, Asian American, or Pacific Islander (as type 2 diabetes is diagnosed more often in these groups)If your child is overweight and has one other factor, screening for type 2 diabetes will typically start around 10 years old or when they begin puberty, whichever comes first.Screening is then done every three years afterward.

Early Detection of Type 2 Diabetes in Children

Although more commonly diagnosed in adults, children can develop type 2 diabetes. Early signs and symptoms are similar to those in adults. In children, frequent urination can often present as new nighttimebed-wetting.Factors that can raise the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in children include:Having a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetesBeing overweight or having obesityGoing through pubertyHavingpolycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS)Being born to a person withgestational diabetes(diabetes during pregnancy)Are Black, Latinx, Native American, Alaska Native, Asian American, or Pacific Islander (as type 2 diabetes is diagnosed more often in these groups)If your child is overweight and has one other factor, screening for type 2 diabetes will typically start around 10 years old or when they begin puberty, whichever comes first.Screening is then done every three years afterward.

Although more commonly diagnosed in adults, children can develop type 2 diabetes. Early signs and symptoms are similar to those in adults. In children, frequent urination can often present as new nighttimebed-wetting.Factors that can raise the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in children include:

If your child is overweight and has one other factor, screening for type 2 diabetes will typically start around 10 years old or when they begin puberty, whichever comes first.Screening is then done every three years afterward.

When the glucose is pulling extra fluids into the urine, it can leave you feeling thirsty. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids to prevent severe dehydration from occurring. This excessive thirst should decrease as blood glucose levels are properly managed and return to target ranges.

Polyphagia, or extreme hunger, is another classic sign of diabetes. When blood glucose levels become too high, excess glucose is passed out of the body in the urine. Glucose contains calories, which are also lost from the body when this happens. In turn, this can cause you to become very hungry.

This extreme hunger prompts you to eat a lot of food to help make up for the calories lost with theglucose in the urine.

Unexplained weight lossis often noticed in people with undiagnosed type 1 diabetes, but it can also be seen in people with type 2 diabetes.

In uncontrolled diabetes, glucose remains in the bloodstream instead of being transported to your cells—causing blood glucose levels to rise. When this happens, glucose is not being used as energy for cells, and your body thinks it’s starving.

In an effort to make up for the lack of glucose in the cells, your body turns to rapidly burning fat and muscle to create energy. This, along with extra calories from glucose lost in the urine, can cause unexplained weight loss.

If you have unintentionally lost 10 or more pounds or 5% of your body weight within the past six to 12 months, contact your healthcare provider.

High blood glucose levels can make you feel very tired. When your body isn’t able to use glucose from the blood for energy,fatiguecan set in.Dehydration from increased urination can also cause you to feel very tired. If fatigue lasts longer than two weeks, it might be a good idea to see your healthcare provider.

High blood glucose can cause the fluid levels in your eyes to change. It can also cause swelling in the tissues of your eyes that help you to focus. Both of these changes in your eyes can lead toblurry vision. This type of vision change is generally only temporary and goes away when your blood glucose levels return to target ranges.

Tingling and numbness in the hands and feet are symptoms of a condition known asperipheral neuropathy.

Over time, high blood glucose levels can damage your nerves. It can also damage the small blood vessels that provide oxygen and other nutrients to your nerves. Your nerves cannot properly function without adequate oxygen and nutrients, leading to tingling and numbness in the extremities.

Contact a healthcare provider if you have tingling, numbness, burning, or pain in your hands or feet that interferes with your sleep or daily activities. Managing your diabetes is one of the best ways to help prevent any further nerve damage.

Prediabetes vs. Early Diabetes Symptoms

You can haveprediabetes(high blood glucose levels that are not yet high enough to be considered type 2 diabetes) for years without any symptoms. This means you likely won’t notice any signs or symptoms until it has developed into type 2 diabetes. Talk to a healthcare provider about getting screened for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes if any of the following apply:

High blood glucose levels can affect the nerves and blood vessels in your body, including those in your skin. Poor circulation can cause theskin to be dry and itchy. Additionally, fluid is pulled from cells throughout the body to produce enough urine to remove extra glucose, which can lead to dry skin.

If you are experiencing dry skin and other early signs of diabetes, ask a healthcare provider about getting screened for diabetes.

Yeast feeds on sugar, so it’s likely to thrive and overgrow when blood glucose levels are high. People with type 2 diabetes may be particularly susceptible to developing vaginalyeast infections, especially if blood glucose levels are high—which can disturb the delicate balance of bacteria and yeast in the vagina.

Excess glucose excreted via the urine and other bodily fluids contributes to this.Once your blood glucose levels return to target ranges, the balance of yeast and bacteria in your body should also return to normal.

High blood glucose levels can lead to poor circulation and nerve damage, especially if it remains high in the long term. This can make it hard for your body to heal sores, cuts, and wounds—especially on the feet.

Summary

Signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes can develop slowly over time. Early warning signs of type 2 diabetes include the need to urinate frequently, excessive thirst, extreme hunger, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, vision changes, tingling and numbness in the hands or feet, dry skin, recurrent yeast infections, and sores that are slow to heal.

A Word From Verywell

Learn MoreCould You Have Undiagnosed Diabetes?

Because symptoms tend to come on gradually over time, some people with type 2 diabetes do not notice any symptoms until their blood glucose levels are very high.If you are at risk for type 2 diabetes, it’s important to get regular health screenings to help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes and complications from the disease.If you have type 2 diabetes and keep your blood glucose levels in the target ranges, you might not have any symptoms. However, this is not an excuse to stop managing your diabetes. Once diagnosed with diabetes, it’s important to always practice healthy lifestyle behaviors to help prevent complications from occurring.Learn MoreType 2 Diabetes Symptoms

Because symptoms tend to come on gradually over time, some people with type 2 diabetes do not notice any symptoms until their blood glucose levels are very high.If you are at risk for type 2 diabetes, it’s important to get regular health screenings to help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes and complications from the disease.If you have type 2 diabetes and keep your blood glucose levels in the target ranges, you might not have any symptoms. However, this is not an excuse to stop managing your diabetes. Once diagnosed with diabetes, it’s important to always practice healthy lifestyle behaviors to help prevent complications from occurring.

Because symptoms tend to come on gradually over time, some people with type 2 diabetes do not notice any symptoms until their blood glucose levels are very high.If you are at risk for type 2 diabetes, it’s important to get regular health screenings to help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes and complications from the disease.

If you have type 2 diabetes and keep your blood glucose levels in the target ranges, you might not have any symptoms. However, this is not an excuse to stop managing your diabetes. Once diagnosed with diabetes, it’s important to always practice healthy lifestyle behaviors to help prevent complications from occurring.

Learn MoreType 2 Diabetes Symptoms

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20 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.National diabetes statistics report.JDRF.Frequent urination (polyuria) and type 1 diabetes.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of bladder control problems and bedwetting in children.Kids Health.What is type 2 diabetes?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Prevent type 2 diabetes in kids.MedlinePlus.Thirst - excessive.Kids Health.Definition: polyphagia.American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee.2. Diagnosis and classification of diabetes:Standards of Care in Diabetes-2024.Diabetes Care. 2024;47(Suppl 1):S20-S42. doi:10.2337/dc24-S002Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diabetes basics.BMJ Best Practice.Evaluation of unintentional weight loss.Kalra S, Sahay R.Diabetes fatigue syndrome.Diabetes Ther. 2018;9(4):1421-1429. doi:10.1007/s13300-018-0453-xNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diabetic eye disease.National Institutes of Health.What is diabetic neuropathy?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diabetes and your skin.Gunther LS, Martins HP, Gimenes F, Abreu AL, Consolaro ME, Svidzinski TI.Prevalence of Candida albicans and non-albicans isolates from vaginal secretions: comparative evaluation of colonization, vaginal candidiasis and recurrent vaginal candidiasis in diabetic and non-diabetic women.Sao Paulo Med J. 2014;132(2):116-20. doi:10.1590/1516-3180.2014.1322640Mohammed L, Jha G, Malasevskaia I, Goud HK, Hassan AM.The interplay between sugar and yeast infections: Do diabetics have a greater predisposition to develop oral and vulvovaginal candidiasis?Cureus2021;13(2):e13407. doi:10.7759/cureus.13407American Academy of Dermatology.Diabetes: 12 warning signs that appear on the skin.National Institutes of Health.Poor immune response impairs diabetic wound healing.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diabetes tests.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Type 2 diabetes.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.National diabetes statistics report.JDRF.Frequent urination (polyuria) and type 1 diabetes.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of bladder control problems and bedwetting in children.Kids Health.What is type 2 diabetes?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Prevent type 2 diabetes in kids.MedlinePlus.Thirst - excessive.Kids Health.Definition: polyphagia.American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee.2. Diagnosis and classification of diabetes:Standards of Care in Diabetes-2024.Diabetes Care. 2024;47(Suppl 1):S20-S42. doi:10.2337/dc24-S002Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diabetes basics.BMJ Best Practice.Evaluation of unintentional weight loss.Kalra S, Sahay R.Diabetes fatigue syndrome.Diabetes Ther. 2018;9(4):1421-1429. doi:10.1007/s13300-018-0453-xNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diabetic eye disease.National Institutes of Health.What is diabetic neuropathy?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diabetes and your skin.Gunther LS, Martins HP, Gimenes F, Abreu AL, Consolaro ME, Svidzinski TI.Prevalence of Candida albicans and non-albicans isolates from vaginal secretions: comparative evaluation of colonization, vaginal candidiasis and recurrent vaginal candidiasis in diabetic and non-diabetic women.Sao Paulo Med J. 2014;132(2):116-20. doi:10.1590/1516-3180.2014.1322640Mohammed L, Jha G, Malasevskaia I, Goud HK, Hassan AM.The interplay between sugar and yeast infections: Do diabetics have a greater predisposition to develop oral and vulvovaginal candidiasis?Cureus2021;13(2):e13407. doi:10.7759/cureus.13407American Academy of Dermatology.Diabetes: 12 warning signs that appear on the skin.National Institutes of Health.Poor immune response impairs diabetic wound healing.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diabetes tests.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Type 2 diabetes.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.National diabetes statistics report.

JDRF.Frequent urination (polyuria) and type 1 diabetes.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of bladder control problems and bedwetting in children.

Kids Health.What is type 2 diabetes?

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Prevent type 2 diabetes in kids.

MedlinePlus.Thirst - excessive.

Kids Health.Definition: polyphagia.

American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee.2. Diagnosis and classification of diabetes:Standards of Care in Diabetes-2024.Diabetes Care. 2024;47(Suppl 1):S20-S42. doi:10.2337/dc24-S002

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diabetes basics.

BMJ Best Practice.Evaluation of unintentional weight loss.

Kalra S, Sahay R.Diabetes fatigue syndrome.Diabetes Ther. 2018;9(4):1421-1429. doi:10.1007/s13300-018-0453-x

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diabetic eye disease.

National Institutes of Health.What is diabetic neuropathy?

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diabetes and your skin.

Gunther LS, Martins HP, Gimenes F, Abreu AL, Consolaro ME, Svidzinski TI.Prevalence of Candida albicans and non-albicans isolates from vaginal secretions: comparative evaluation of colonization, vaginal candidiasis and recurrent vaginal candidiasis in diabetic and non-diabetic women.Sao Paulo Med J. 2014;132(2):116-20. doi:10.1590/1516-3180.2014.1322640

Mohammed L, Jha G, Malasevskaia I, Goud HK, Hassan AM.The interplay between sugar and yeast infections: Do diabetics have a greater predisposition to develop oral and vulvovaginal candidiasis?Cureus2021;13(2):e13407. doi:10.7759/cureus.13407

American Academy of Dermatology.Diabetes: 12 warning signs that appear on the skin.

National Institutes of Health.Poor immune response impairs diabetic wound healing.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diabetes tests.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Type 2 diabetes.

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