You may be and not know it. An estimated 16 million people in the United States have diabetes, yet some six million of them haven't been diagnosed. Often there are no symptoms. When there are symptoms, they're not always easy to recognize. An d that makes the disease difficult to detect early.
Diabetes can affect many parts of the body, leading to serious health complications.
By then, they may already have damage to their eyes or kidneys. Left untreated, diabetes causes 'silent' damage to different parts of the body. Your doctor or other health care provider can show you how to self-manage your diabetes in many instances. Contrary to what some people believe, craving sweets or sugar is not a symptom of diabetes. A simple blood test is a safe and reliable way to screen for diabetes.