Early Warning Signs Most People Miss

Type 2 diabetes can be quiet for years. Symptoms build up so slowly that they get blamed on age, heat, work or stress — and sometimes there are no symptoms at all.

The signs worth knowing are: feeling thirsty much more than usual, passing urine often, especially at night, tiredness that rest does not fix, blurred vision, cuts and wounds that take a long time to heal, and unexplained weight loss.

Some people also notice tingling or numbness in the hands and feet, or infections that keep coming back.

Here is the part that catches people out. Symptoms can be so mild that they go completely unnoticed, and many people are diagnosed only during a routine health check or while being tested for something else.

So the absence of symptoms is not proof that your blood sugar is fine. If you have a family history of diabetes, carry weight around your middle, or are over 35, it is worth getting tested even if you feel completely well.

If you do notice several of these signs together, do not wait for your next annual check-up. A simple blood test will settle it, and finding it earlier gives you more room to act. If you are unsure whether you should be tested at all, see who should get tested.