What are the symptoms of diabetes?

One of the key dangers of diabetes is that it often doesn’t display any symptoms at all, making it hard to diagnose until it’s severe.

Common symptoms generally include:¹

• Unusual thirst
• Fatigue
• Frequent urination
• Extreme hunger
• Irritability, mood changes

Other symptoms that can occur:

• Cuts that are difficult or slow to heal
• Tingling/numbness in hands and/or feet
• Blurred vision
• Frequent infections

For pregnant women, swelling in the hands and face and may also be symptoms of gestational diabetes.

Although NICHD studies different aspects of all types of diabetes, NICHD is not the primary resource for patient information about type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse provides detailed patient information about type 1 and type 2 diabetes, including their symptoms.