Diabetes is described as a group of metabolic diseases in which the person has high blood glucose either due to body’s improper response to insulin or because the insulin production is inadequate. Those who have a high blood sugar often experience frequent urination, increased thirst and even increased hunger.
It is important to control diabetes not just because it can be a challenging problem to deal with but also because this disease can lead to or be the cause of many other types of problems and diseases. Some organs which diabetes can affect if left uncontrolled are the eyes, the heart, the lungs, the nerves and also the teeth and gums. The following are some ways diabetes can lead to other diseases.
Diabetes and the Eyes
Diabetes is the leading cause of new blindness. It can cause a number of eye problems and diseases including glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and cataracts. Regular eye exams and treatments can help prevent 90% of the diabetes related blindness.
Heart Disease, Blood Vessel Disease and Diabetes
Blood vessel diseases and heart diseases are also a biggest category of complications caused due to diabetes. Almost 71% adults with diabetes have also reported to have certain heart condition or high blood pressure. Diabetes also tends to increase the number of heart disease deaths and must thus be controlled as much as possible. The risk of stroke becomes 1.5 times higher with diabetes.
Kidney Disease and Diabetes
Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure in adults in the US and this fact is alone to stress on the complications of diabetes. It also accounts for 44% of new cases of kidney diseases. There are some high blood pressure lowering drugs available which can also lower the risk of kidney failure by about 33%.
Your Nerves and Diabetes
Another complication which high blood sugar can cause is damage of the nerves. When the sugar levels in our blood shoot up, it affects the nervous system and the nerves. This can result in a loss in sensation or feeling or pain and may also lead to a burning sensation in the feet. It is a fact that about 60-70% people with diabetes have some or the other form of nerve damage. This diabetes related nerve damage can also cause pain in the arms, the legs and the hands and may also result in problems related to digestion or having sex.
Skin Complications
Diabetes can also cause several types of skin complications and issues. It can cause itching on the skin and may also result in sores. Moreover, diabetes can also cause skin related infections which are difficult to cure. Skin problems are infact one of the first signs which indicate that a person has encountered diabetes.
Dental Problems
There are a host of dental problems which too are caused as a result of diabetes. Some of these include gingivitis, periodontis and others. These problems can be cured to some degree with the help of a dentist but it is important to control the sugar level to really reduce their impact.
