Are you aware of diabetes three P’s?
They frequently take place together and represent three of the most common symptoms of diabetes.
The three Ps are simply described as follows:
- Polydipsia is a term for an increase in thirst.
- Polyuria means a lot of urination.
- Polyphagia is a term for an increase in appetite.
We’ll go through each of the three P’s on a deeper level, including how they’re diagnosed and treated.
Polydipsia
Polydipsia is a medical term for excessive thirst. You can feel thirsty all of the time or have a chronic dry mouth if you have polydipsia.
Polydipsia is caused by high blood glucose levels in people with diabetes. When your blood sugar level levels rise, your kidneys release extra urine in an attempt to flush the excess glucose from your system.
In the meantime, the brain urges you to drink more to replace the water the body is lacking. This causes the extreme thirst that is associated with diabetes.
Thirstiness that persists can also be triggered by:
- Dehydration(a lack of water)
- Osmotic diuresis is an increase in urination caused by excess glucose that cannot be reabsorbed in the kidney tubules, resulting in an increase in water in the tubules.
- Mental health problems such as Psychogenic polydipsia.
Polyuria
When you pass more urine than normal, it’s referred to as polyuria. The average person produces 1–2 liters of urine every day (1 liter equals about 4 cups). Polyuria is characterized by the production of more than 3 liters of urine per day.
When blood sugar levels are high, the body can attempt to excrete some of the glucose by urination. This causes the kidneys to pump out more urine, resulting in a greater need to urinate.
Aside from diabetes, passing abnormally large quantities of urine may be linked to a variety of other conditions, including:
- Conception
- Diabetes insipidus
- Kidney problems
- Hypercalcemia
- Psychogenic polydipsia, for example, is a mental health issue.
- Taking medications such as diuretics
Polyphagia
Polyphagia is a term used to describe extreme hunger. While we all experience a rise in appetite in some circumstances — such as after exercise or when we haven’t eaten in a while — it may also be a symptom of a more serious underlying disorder.
Glucose cannot penetrate cells to be used for energy in diabetics. Low sugar levels or insulin resistance may cause this. Since your body is unable to turn this glucose into energy, you will become extremely hungry.
After eating, the hunger linked with polyphagia does not go away. In reality, consuming more would just add to already increased blood glucose levels in people with uncontrolled diabetes.
Polyphagia can be caused by a variety of factors, including polydipsia and polyuria. Here are a few examples:
- Hyperthyroidism or an overactive thyroid
- Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
- Taking corticosteroids or other steroids medications
- Diagnosis
- Stress
Diabetes three P’s sometimes happen together, but not always. Moreover, type 1 diabetes frequently grows faster and type 2 diabetes more slowly.
Since the three P’s are a clear indication of higher levels of blood glucose than average, the doctor will use them to diagnose diabetes. But other signs of three P’s can also occur.
These signs and symptoms include:
- Feeling tired or worn out
- Vision problems
- Weight loss that isn’t clarified
- Tingling or numbness sensations in the hands and feet
- Cuts and bruises take a long time to heal.
- Infections that keep coming back
Your doctor will conduct tests to diagnose diabetes if you’re experiencing either of the three P’s with or without additional diabetes symptoms.
The following are some of the tests:
- A1C blood test
- FPG (fasting plasma glucose) test
- A random plasma glucose (RPG) test
- A note concerning prediabetes
What about the three P’s and prediabetes?
Prediabetes is when the blood glucose is higher than it is expected, but not as high as it should be to diagnose type 2 diabetes.
You probably won’t encounter any obvious signs or symptoms such as the Three Ps if you have prediabetes. Since prediabetes may be undetected, if you are at risk for type 2 diabetes, it is vital to check your blood glucose levels regularly.
Treatments
The cause of the 3 Ps is higher in diabetes than normal glucose. This will help to avoid the three P’s by managing blood glucose levels.
Examples on how this can be done include:
- Taking diabetes medicines, for example insulin or metformin
- Daily blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol tracking.
- Follow a balanced diet for eating
- Get more active physically
Your doctor will work with you to establish a care plan that fits your condition after a diagnosis. Keep this strategy as close as possible to maintain the diabetes symptoms.
The Bottom Line
Polydipsia, polyuria, and polyphagia are the three Ps of diabetes. These conditions are consistent with increases in hunger, urination, and appetite.
The three Ps sometimes occur together, but not always. It is an indication of elevated blood glucose levels than normal and is some of the most common diabetes symptoms.
You should have an appointment with your doctor to address your symptoms in case you experience one or more of the 3 P’s.
Our Take
So, schedule a consultation with Dr. Soumya Hullannavar to discuss either of the three P’s.
If you have an unexplained rise in thirst, urination, or appetite that lasts for many days, it is time to seek diabetes treatment at Elite Ayurveda. This is especially important if you have the three main symptoms.
Get the latest advice and support from Elite Ayurveda’s lead specialist and highly trained staff.
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