Is my sweet smelling body odour a sign of diabetes and where can I seek treatment from?

Diabetes is closely related to the condition ‘Xiao Ke’ in TCM. It is characterized by the four primary symptoms – excessive thirst, excessive thirst, excessive hunger, excessive urination and unexplained weight loss. Since both types of diabetes can present with these symptoms, TCM sees them as the same condition. The primary cause of both types of diabetes is Yin deficiency and Heat. TCM diagnosis focuses on the syndrome of an individual instead of the disease or condition.

Hi, I am sorry to hear that your grandmother has diabetes and she is at risk of developing diabetic kidney disease (aka diabetic nephropathy); which means diabetes affecting the kidney, damaging it and potentially leading to kidney failure. In fact, diabetes is the most common cause of total kidney failure worldwide and in Singapore. Around 40% of patients with diabetes develop kidney problems. Many of them can progress to total kidney failure, needing dialysis or kidney transplant to remain alive.