Type 2 diabetes happens when your body does not use insulin well or does not make enough insulin. Insulin helps move sugar from your blood into your cells, where it is used for energy. When insulin does not work as it should, sugar can build up in your blood.

Type 2 diabetes often develops slowly. Some people have mild symptoms, while others have no symptoms at all. In the U.S., about 11 million people have diabetes but do not know they have it. That is why it is important to notice changes in your body and talk with your doctor about them.

The signs below can be clues, but they do not mean you have diabetes. Many of these symptoms can happen for other reasons. A blood test is needed to find out if your blood sugar is too high.

1. Frequent Urination

Needing to urinate more often than usual can be one of the first signs of high blood sugar. You may also notice that you are waking up at night to use the bathroom more often than you normally do.

When blood sugar gets too high, your kidneys work to remove some of the extra sugar through your urine. This also causes your body to lose more water, which can lead to more trips to the bathroom.

Frequent urination can happen for many other reasons, so it does not mean you have diabetes by itself. But if it is new or keeps happening, especially with increased thirst, it is worth talking with your doctor.

2. Increased Thirst

Are you drinking much more water than usual or feeling thirsty soon after you drink? Increased thirst can happen when your blood sugar is high.

High blood sugar can make you urinate more often, which causes your body to lose extra fluid. Your brain responds by making you feel thirsty so you will replace that fluid.

Thirst can have many causes, such as heat, exercise, illness, or dehydration. But when unusual thirst happens along with frequent urination, it can be a reason to have your blood sugar checked.

3. Increased Hunger

Feeling hungry soon after a meal or eating more than usual can sometimes be a sign of Type 2 diabetes. With insulin resistance, your cells do not respond to insulin as well as they should. This can make it harder for your body to use glucose for energy.

As a result, you may feel hungry even though you have already eaten.

Increased hunger is common and does not point to diabetes on its own. Poor sleep, stress, changes in activity, and other health issues can also affect your appetite. If increased hunger continues or comes with other symptoms, talk with your doctor.

4. Unusual Fatigue or Weakness

Feeling tired once in a while is normal, but ongoing fatigue can be a sign that something is wrong. Some people with high blood sugar feel weak, drained, or tired even after getting enough sleep.

When blood sugar is high, your body may not use glucose for energy as well as it should. Frequent urination can also cause fluid loss, which may add to tiredness.

Fatigue has many possible causes, including poor sleep, stress, anemia, thyroid problems, and infections. But if your tiredness is new, persistent, or happens along with other signs of high blood sugar, it is worth discussing with your doctor.

5. Blurry or Changing Vision

New or unexplained blurry vision can sometimes be linked to high blood sugar. When blood glucose changes, it can affect the fluid levels in the eye and temporarily change how well you can focus.

This is different from diabetic eye disease, which can develop after blood sugar stays high for a long time and damages blood vessels in the retina.

If your vision changes, do not assume it is just from diabetes. New or sudden vision changes should be checked by a doctor or eye care professional.

6. Unexplained Weight Loss

Losing weight without trying can sometimes be a sign of diabetes. When insulin is not working well or your body does not make enough of it, your cells may not be able to use glucose properly for energy.

Your body may then start using stored fat and muscle for energy, which can lead to weight loss.

Diabetes is only one possible cause of unexplained weight loss. If you are losing weight without changing your diet or exercise, talk with your doctor to find out why.

7. Cuts or Sores That Heal Slowly

A small cut that takes much longer than usual to heal may be a sign of high blood sugar. Over time, high blood sugar can make it harder for the body to fight infections and can affect blood flow and nerve health. These problems can slow healing.

Pay close attention to wounds on your feet. Nerve damage can make it harder to feel an injury, while poor blood flow can make healing more difficult.

Slow healing is more often seen in people with diabetes that has been present for some time or is not well controlled. It is not usually one of the first signs of newly developing diabetes. Still, a wound that is not healing should be checked.

8. Recurrent Yeast Infections or UTIs

Frequent yeast infections or urinary tract infections may sometimes be linked to high blood sugar. Extra glucose can create an environment where certain yeast and bacteria grow more easily.

This may lead to repeated vaginal yeast infections, UTIs, or some skin infections.

Repeated infections can happen for many reasons, so they do not mean you have diabetes. But if infections keep coming back, especially along with increased thirst, frequent urination, or other symptoms, ask your doctor if you should have your blood sugar checked.

9. Numbness, Tingling, or Burning in the Hands and Feet

Numbness, tingling, burning, or pain in your hands or feet can be a sign of nerve damage. When blood sugar stays high for a long time, it can damage nerves, often starting in the feet and legs.

This type of nerve damage, called diabetic neuropathy, usually develops over time. If it is found when you are first diagnosed with diabetes, it may mean that high blood sugar was present before you knew you had diabetes.

Diabetes is not the only cause of these symptoms. Vitamin problems, certain medicines, alcohol use, and other nerve conditions can also cause them. If you notice ongoing numbness or tingling, talk with your doctor.

A Visible Clue: Darkened, Velvety Skin

Dark, thick, or velvety patches of skin may be a sign of insulin resistance. This condition is called acanthosis nigricans. It often appears on the back of the neck, in the armpits, or around the groin.

Acanthosis nigricans does not mean that you have diabetes. But it can be a clue that your body is having trouble using insulin properly. If you notice these skin changes, ask your doctor whether you should be tested for prediabetes or diabetes.

You Can Have Type 2 Diabetes Without Symptoms

One of the most important things to know about Type 2 diabetes is that you may not notice any warning signs at all. The disease often develops slowly, and some people can have high blood sugar for years without knowing it.

You may feel healthy and still have diabetes. That is why waiting for symptoms is not the best way to find the condition.

If you have diabetes risk factors or have noticed several changes discussed in this article, talk with your doctor about having your blood sugar checked.

How Is Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosed?

Symptoms alone cannot tell you whether you have diabetes. Your doctor will use a blood test to check your blood sugar.

An A1C test shows your average blood sugar over about the past three months. An A1C of 5.7% to 6.4% means prediabetes, while 6.5% or higher is in the diabetes range.

A fasting blood glucose test checks your blood sugar after you have not eaten for at least eight hours. A result of 100 to 125 mg/dL means prediabetes, while 126 mg/dL or higher is in the diabetes range.

A 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test checks your blood sugar two hours after you drink a glucose drink. A result of 140 to 199 mg/dL means prediabetes, while 200 mg/dL or higher is in the diabetes range.

A random blood glucose level of 200 mg/dL or higher can also be used to diagnose diabetes when you have classic symptoms of high blood sugar or a hyperglycemic crisis.

If you do not have clear signs of very high blood sugar, your doctor will usually confirm an abnormal result with another test before making a diagnosis.

Conclusion

Frequent urination, increased thirst and hunger, fatigue, blurry vision, unexplained weight loss, slow-healing wounds, repeated infections, and numbness or tingling can all be clues of Type 2 diabetes. But these symptoms can have many other causes, and some people with diabetes have no symptoms at all.

If you notice changes that are new or do not go away, do not ignore them. If you also have risk factors for diabetes, ask your doctor if you should have your blood sugar tested.

Finding Type 2 diabetes early gives you a chance to manage your blood sugar and take steps to lower your risk of diabetes complications.