The Most Common Complications of Diabetes

Diabetes or Diabetes Mellitus is one of the most common diseases that is a cause of alarm around the world. It is a group of chronic ailments that is characterized by high blood sugar levels or hyperglycemia. There are various causes for this increase in blood sugar levels that vary from person to person. Today, medical practitioners have presented different ways of fighting this chronic disease through medications, lifestyle changes and physical activities.

Why do you have Diabetes?

Diabetes is diagnosed through blood tests which reveal that the body is either not producing enough insulin to maintain blood sugar level or is not responding to the insulin produced by the body. In certain cases, the reasons are both and it becomes quite difficult to manage the situation. Doctors prescribe ways to deliver sufficient glucose to the body tissues and try to reduce the risks of damage to the tissues that are highly affected by hyperglycemia. (Image credit: outlook.wustl.edu)

Treating Diabetes is a must – Why?

The importance of treating diabetes immediately after diagnosis has been emphasized for innumerable reasons. It is such a chronic problem that if left unattended affects every organ of the body starting from the tip of your hair to the toes. People with diabetes become a prey to serious health issues that sometimes lead to death also. Hence its treatment cannot be overstated.

Complications of Diabetes

Increase in the glucose level of the body damages the blood vessels, nerves, and other organs that in turn lead to long-term effects on the individual who may have to lie in bed being unable to move if untreated. The main complications caused by Diabetes are:

Cardiovascular Disease:

It has been proved that uncontrolled diabetes causes serious heart diseases leading to heart attack. This happens because, high blood sugar damages the nerves and cells of the body that pump blood to the heart and carry blood to the various parts of the body through the veins. When this functioning is hampered naturally it affects the heart that slowly becomes weak and succumbs to heart attacks. Moreover, diabetes causes high blood pressure, high cholesterol and so the risks of cardiac arrests are very common among people with diabetes. Controlling diabetes is extremely important to stay healthy and carry on all your activities properly.

Diabetic Neuropathy or Nerve Disease caused by Diabetes:

Diabetes damages the nerves which lead to innumerable problems. It not only leads to digestion issues but weakens the limbs as well. When nerve damages are related to digestion it can cause feelings of nausea, diarrhea,vomiting and constipation also.The legs and feet are affected the most. In extreme cases, a person fails to walk straight and there is a kind of shivering sensation in all the limbs. Nails become brittle and sometimes bend back towards the toes causing great pain and infections. It is a well known fact that when there are infections, cuts, bruises or blood loss in a diabetic it is very difficult to stop the blood flow and the infections take a lot of time to heal. If diabetes is not treated at the right moment, such complications become serious issues leading to amputation also. The lack of feeling and sensation caused by high blood sugar level weakens the entire body and with it the mind too. One loses the confidence to carry on in life. However, nowadays comprehensive diabetes management is available and if one is cautious from the start and takes medicines and follows the doctor’s advice such risks become lesser.

Kidney Problems:

Kidney problem caused by diabetes is known as Diabetic Nephropathy. The small blood vessels that lie inside the kidneys are damaged by high blood sugar and so they become inefficient and gradually fail to function totally thus leading to death in some cases. The problem with diabetes related kidney problems is that there are no prior symptoms as such except for swelling of feet and legs and that too at the advanced stages. But since everybody knows that diabetes affects the normal functioning of the kidneys, it is important for a diabetic to keep a check on blood sugar levels and go for kidney check-ups from time to time.

Skin conditions and Foot Damage:

Diabetes is at the root of various complications that sometimes spoil the entire life of the sufferer. Skin infections are quite common which are usually detected as fungal or bacterial infections. Such infections also occur when your cholesterol level is also high. But the main cause is diabetes as the flow of blood is hampered that leads to dryness, itchiness, redness or patches on the skin. Foot problems are very common among diabetics. If proper care is not taken blisters, cuts and nail infections aggravate and cause serious complications. Hence people with diabetes must take extra care of their feet.

Diabetic Retinopathy:

Any kind of eye disease that is caused by diabetes is termed as Diabetic Retinopathy. Most diabetics suffer from one or the other kind of eye problems like Glaucoma and Cataracts. These are the extreme stages. Initially diabetics suffer from vision problems. They cannot see clearly or vision seems to be blurry. Hence it is necessary to visit the ophthalmologist immediately so that problems can be treated at its early stages and if necessary the doctor can refer to other specialists for advice. Researchers are of the opinion that most diabetics in the United States of America suffer from loss of vision because diabetes damages the blood vessels of the retina. It even affects people of merely 20 years of age not to speak of elderly people. To manage diabetes related eye problems, regular eye check-ups along with control over blood sugar levels and lipid levels is absolutely important.

Alzheimer’s disease:

Type 2 diabetesincreases the risks of Alzheimer’s disease.  It is mainly caused due to continuous uncontrolled diabetes. Hence in any form, blood sugar levels should be kept in check to stay healthy and avoid such diseases that practically have no concrete remedies.

Gestational complications:

Women are susceptible to suffer from diabetes during pregnancy especially if they already have blood sugar levels higher than normal. This is known as gestational diabetes. In cases of diabetes during this period, careful monitoring of sugar level is absolutely necessary. More so because it leads to damage to the fetus. Hence women should take care about their diabetes issues before conception. The main problems that arise due to gestational diabetes are:

• The fetus is over-weight
• Problems arise during delivery
• Trauma to the mother and child
• Blood glucose levels of the child drop suddenly after birth
• Children who grow up in the womb of a mother, who has been suffering from diabetes for quite some time, develop the risks of diabetes later in life.

Teeth and Gum Problems:

Gum problems are very common in peoples with high blood sugar level. Teeth also become weak that hinder chewing of food properly thereby causing digestion problems.

If you have diabetes, some way or the other all your organs get affected. So if you wish to lead a happy and healthy life, do not neglect or overlook your Diabetes. It is really difficult to cure diabetes completely but it can be controlled to a great extent by maintaining proper diet, regular workouts and medications.