Our bodies are amazing at sending us signals when something isn’t quite right. One important signal to pay attention to relates to your blood sugar levels. High blood sugar, also known as hyperglycemia, happens when there’s too much glucose (sugar) in your bloodstream. This can occur in people with diabetes, but it can also sometimes affect those without a diagnosed condition.

Recognizing the signs early is key. Let’s explore some common symptoms that might indicate your blood sugar is higher than it should be, with a simple explanation for each.

Feeling Thirsty All the Time (Polydipsia)

What it means: You might notice an unquenchable thirst, no matter how much water you drink. You could be reaching for drinks much more often than usual.

Why it happens: When you have high blood sugar, your kidneys have to work overtime to filter out the excess glucose from your blood. To do this, they draw more water from your body, which is then passed out as urine. This process can leave your body dehydrated, triggering a strong thirst signal as your body tries to replenish the lost fluids. It’s a bit like your body trying to dilute the extra sugar.

Needing to Pee More Often (Polyuria)

What it means: You find yourself making more frequent trips to the bathroom, even during the night. The amount of urine might also be more than usual.

Why it happens: This symptom is directly linked to the increased thirst and your kidneys’ efforts to get rid of excess sugar. As your kidneys pull more water from your blood to flush out the glucose, your bladder fills up more quickly and more often. It’s your body’s way of trying to physically remove the surplus sugar.

Feeling Very Hungry, Even After Eating (Polyphagia)

What it means: Despite eating regular meals, you might feel a persistent and sometimes intense hunger.

Why it happens: This might seem confusing – if there’s too much sugar in the blood, why would you feel hungry? The problem is that with high blood sugar (especially if it’s due to insulin resistance, a hallmark of type 2 diabetes), your body’s cells can’t effectively take in that glucose from the blood to use it for energy. Your cells are essentially “starving” for fuel, even though there’s plenty of sugar available. This sends signals to your brain that you need to eat more.

Unexplained Tiredness and Fatigue

What it means: You feel unusually tired, sluggish, and lacking energy, even after getting enough sleep. This isn’t just normal tiredness; it’s a more profound sense of fatigue.

Why it happens: This again relates to your body’s cells not getting the energy they need from glucose. If sugar can’t enter the cells efficiently to be converted into energy, your body won’t function at its best. Furthermore, dehydration caused by increased urination and the body’s efforts to manage high blood sugar can also contribute significantly to feelings of fatigue.

Blurry Vision

What it means: Your eyesight might become fuzzy or out of focus, making it hard to see things clearly. This can come and go.

Why it happens: High blood sugar levels can cause the lens in your eye to swell due to fluid shifts. This swelling changes the shape of the lens, affecting its ability to focus light properly, which results in blurry vision. Usually, once blood sugar levels are brought back under control, vision returns to normal. However, chronically high blood sugar can lead to more serious eye damage over time.

Slow-Healing Sores or Frequent Infections

What it means: You might notice that cuts, bruises, or sores take much longer to heal than they used to. You might also experience more frequent infections, like skin infections, yeast infections, or urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Why it happens: High blood sugar can impair your body’s natural healing processes and weaken your immune system. It can damage nerves and affect blood circulation, making it harder for blood (which carries healing nutrients and infection-fighting cells) to reach the affected areas. A sugary environment can also encourage the growth of bacteria and fungi, leading to more infections.

Unexplained Weight Loss

What it means: You might lose weight even though you haven’t changed your eating habits or increased your physical activity.

Why it happens: This can occur when your body isn’t able to use glucose for energy properly. If cells can’t get glucose, your body might start breaking down muscle and fat for fuel instead, leading to weight loss. Also, some of the calories you consume can be lost through the excess glucose that is excreted in your urine.

Tingling, Numbness, or Pain in Hands or Feet (Neuropathy)

What it means: You might experience sensations like pins and needles, numbness, burning, or pain, usually starting in your feet or hands and sometimes spreading.

Why it happens: Over time, consistently high blood sugar levels can damage your nerves.This nerve damage, known as neuropathy, can interfere with the normal transmission of signals between your limbs and your brain, leading to these unusual and often uncomfortable sensations.

What to Do If You Notice These Symptoms

If you’re regularly experiencing one or more of these symptoms, it’s important not to ignore them. Make an appointment to see your doctor or a healthcare professional. They can perform tests, like a blood glucose test, to check your sugar levels and determine if high blood sugar is the cause.

Early detection and management are crucial for preventing potential complications associated with persistently high blood sugar. Listening to your body and seeking timely medical advice can make a big difference to your long-term health.