Diabetic Complications
Diabetic Complications:Â
A Guide to the Most Common and Serious Problems
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects how the body turns food into energy. When you have diabetes, your blood sugar levels can become too high. This can damage your blood vessels, nerves, and organs over time.
There are many different types of diabetes, but the two most common are type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, which means that your body's immune system attacks and destroys the cells in your pancreas that produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps your body use glucose for energy.
Type 2 diabetes is caused by a combination of genetics and lifestyle factors, such as being overweight or obese, having a family history of diabetes, or being inactive.
If you have diabetes, it's important to work with your doctor to manage your blood sugar levels. This can help prevent or delay the development of diabetic complications.
The most common diabetic complications include:
Eye problems: Diabetes can damage the blood vessels in your eyes, leading to a condition called diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy can cause blurry vision, vision loss, and even blindness.
Heart disease and stroke: People with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop heart disease or stroke than people without diabetes. This is because diabetes can damage the lining of your blood vessels, making it more likely for them to clot.
Kidney disease: Diabetes can damage the kidneys, leading to a condition called diabetic nephropathy. Diabetic nephropathy can lead to kidney failure, which requires dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Nerve damage: Diabetes can damage the nerves in your hands, feet, and other parts of your body. This can cause numbness, tingling, pain, and weakness. In some cases, nerve damage can lead to foot ulcers, which can become infected and require amputation.
Skin problems: People with diabetes are more likely to develop skin problems, such as infections, slow-healing sores, and diabetic foot ulcers.
Gum disease: People with diabetes are more likely to develop gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss.
Other diabetic complications
In addition to the most common diabetic complications, there are a number of other complications that can occur. These include:
Pregnancy problems: Women with diabetes are more likely to have problems during pregnancy, such as high blood pressure, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes.
Mental health problems: People with diabetes are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems.
Sexual problems: People with diabetes may experience sexual problems, such as erectile dysfunction in men and decreased sex drive in both men and women.
How to prevent diabetic complications
The best way to prevent diabetic complications is to manage your blood sugar levels. This means following a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and taking your medication as prescribed.
There are also a number of other things you can do to help prevent diabetic complications, such as:
Quit smoking: Smoking can damage your blood vessels and make it more likely for you to develop diabetic complications.
Control your blood pressure: High blood pressure can damage your blood vessels and increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other complications.
Control your cholesterol levels: High cholesterol can also damage your blood vessels and increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other complications.
Get regular eye exams: Diabetic retinopathy can develop slowly, so it's important to get regular eye exams so that any problems can be detected early.
Take care of your feet: People with diabetes are more likely to develop foot ulcers, so it's important to take care of your feet by washing them regularly, trimming your toenails straight across, and wearing comfortable, well-fitting shoes.
If you have diabetes, it's important to work with your doctor to manage your condition and prevent complications. By following your doctor's recommendations and taking care of yourself, you can help reduce your risk of developing diabetic complications.