Type 2 diabetes: scary sensation caused by high blood sugar

Type 2 diabetes is known as a chronic condition whereby the pancreas stops producing enough insulin or the body becomes resistant to the hormone. Insulin helps regulate blood sugar and when

high blood sugars are present a person may feel this scary sensation. What is it? Experiencing a dizzy spell can be brought on by many things, but in cases of type 2 diabetes, one of the

main causes is high blood sugar levels. Having a high blood sugar level can cause polyuria and this can in turn leave a person being extremely dehydrated due to passing too much fluid out of

the body in an attempt to remove the excess glucose. Having low levels of water in the body means the brain struggles to function properly and this can cause a feeling of dizziness. WHAT IS

POLYURIA? Diabetes.co.uk state on their website: “Polyuria is a condition where the body urinates more than usual and passes excessive or abnormally large amounts of urine each time you

urinate. “Polyuria is defined as the frequent passage of large volumes of urine – more than three litres a day – compared to the normal daily urine output in adults of about one to two

litres. “It is one of the main symptoms of diabetes and can lead to severe dehydration, which if left untreated can affect kidney function.” Practical Diabetes said: “Dizziness was reported

as a symptom of hypoglycaemia by 11 to 44 percent of people. “It is thought to be due to neuroglycopenia rather than autonomic dysfunction. “Hyperglycaemia also causes dizziness and in one

UK study of hyperglycaemic symptoms in people with insulin-treated diabetes, 26.9 percent felt light-headed, and 22.4 percent described dizziness. “The hypovolaemia of dehydration may partly

explain this, but glucose is toxic in other ways.” In a study with the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, dizziness, and loss of balance in individuals with

diabetes was investigated. The study noted: “The authors studied patients with diabetes and complaints of dizziness to determine whether peripheral neuropathy or inner ear dysfunction was

more likely to disturb balance.  “The risk of falling is increased in people with diabetes who have peripheral neuropathy and quantitative measurements of balance have demonstrated increased

body sway compared to unaffected peers." The study concluded that vestibular dysfunction should be an immediate consideration in people with diabetes who have dizziness complaints

regardless of the presence of peripheral neuropathy, and rehabilitation strategies should be considered for those identified as having this dysfunction.