4 Warning Signs of Hypoglycemia
When your blood glucose level falls below average levels, the consequence is hypoglycemia or abnormally low blood sugar. The typical cause of this condition is either an overabundance of insulin or an inadequate diet. But, hypoglycemia can also be triggered in diabetics by a delay in eating a meal or as a result of over-stressing the body from too much exercise. Many people refer to hypoglycemia as “insulin shock” due to the severe and explosive effect that it has on the body. Hypoglycemia can potentially cause brain dysfunction and damage. That’s why it’s critically important that those who are at risk learn to recognize it’s symptoms. According to research paper about diabetes mellitus, common symptoms are:
Blanched and perspiring skin - at the first signs of hypoglycemia, the body begins producing and releasing epinephrine, which is also known as adrenaline. It does this in an effort by the adrenal glands to raise the body’s blood glucose levels. When levels of the epinephrine hormone reach a high enough point in the body, the skin to become pale.
Rapid heart beat - adrenaline has many effects on the body. Two primary effects are to cause the blood vessels to become constricted and the heart rate to speed up. The affected person may go through heart palpitations and experience a pounding heartbeat. In addition, the excess adrenaline flooding through the body can cause trembling of the limbs, tingling sensations in the hands and feet, and, ini general, a sense of anxiety.
Severe headaches - The brain is one of our major organs. And like all of the body’s major organs, it needs glucose to function. When the body’s blood sugar levels drop, all of a sudden the brain has less glucose available to it. Now, if there is merely a tiny decrease in the glucose levels, the result may be a mild headache or possibly double vision. If, however, the drop is more severe drop, the person can possibly have a seizure. And an even greater drop can possibly lead to loss of consciousness, difficulty concentrating and confused speech or, in the worst case, lapsing into a coma.
Extreme hunger - the body is always in a constant state of adjusting itself to various circumstances. When the blood sugar levels drop, the body instinctively knows that it needs food to get the levels up again. The way of letting us know that is to send hunger signals to the brain in an attempt to get us to eat. Once we eat, the blood glucose levels return to normal and the hunger subsides.
The above symptoms usually do not start to show until the blood glucose levels fall a fairly significant amount such as below 60 milligrams per deciliter of blood. Also, if the person is taking medications for symptoms other than diabetes, it’s important to be aware that some medications may mask some of these symptoms. In addition, not everyone has the same reactions to low blood sugar so they may naturally experience different symptoms.
For a person diagnosed with diabetes, It’s not at all unusual for him or her to occasionally get hypoglycemia. In fact, diabetics may become very familiar with many of these symptoms since the regulation of blood glucose levels with medicines is not quite an exact science. As the blood sugar levels return to normal, however, the symptoms will usually slowly dissipate. Nevertheless, anyone experiencing any of the conditions listed above should make sure that their physician or health care provider is aware of them.