Urinating Frequently or Recurrent Boils? Your Blood Sugar May Be High
A boil that keeps returning, recurrent vaginal candidiasis, unexplained weight loss, frequent urination or unusual thirst may be more than just a passing health complaint. They could be warning signs of diabetes, Endocrinologist and Physician Specialist at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Dr Ebenezer Nikoi, has cautioned. In Ghana, a 2023 WHO STEPS survey … The post Urinating Frequently or…
Unusual urination or recurrent boils might indicate higher than normal blood sugar levels, according to an endocrinologist and physician specialist at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana. Dr Ebenezer Nikoi warns that these symptoms could be warning signs of diabetes, a condition prevalent among Ghanaian adults. According to a 2023 WHO STEPS survey, 5.2 per cent of adults aged 18 to 69 years in Ghana have diabetes, with a concerning 70.3 per cent of adults never having checked their blood sugar levels.
Diabetes occurs when the body cannot produce enough insulin or is unable to effectively use the insulin it produces. Two main types of diabetes exist: Type 1, where the immune system destroys insulin-producing cells, necessitating insulin supplementation, and Type 2, which is more common and results from insulin resistance over time.
Risk factors include age, family history, gestational diabetes, overweight or obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, hypertension, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease. Dr Nikoi emphasizes that all adults aged 35 years and above should be screened for diabetes, even without symptoms, while those with risk factors may need screening earlier.
Blood tests, such as fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and random blood glucose, are required to diagnose diabetes, with specific ranges indicating normal, prediabetes, and diabetes. Early detection is crucial, as diabetes can be managed before complications arise.
Written by urgent.news from Ghanaian Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
