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Diabetes care, to a large degree, is minimizing and preventing complications. Serious long term complications of diabetes such as heart disease, kidney disease, neuropathy, eye problems, peripheral vascular disease and others can cause serious and permanent damage. Diabetes sufferers need to be vigilant and close medical supervision is mandatory to prevent these problems from occurring or getting out of control. Heart disease: This is the most common complication of diabetes. The risk of heart disease doubles when a person develops the disease. The arteries that supply blood to the heart become blocked with fat and cholesterol, blocking blood flow and increasing the chances for a heart attack. Kidney failure: The kidneys remove waste products from the blood and then return it back to the body. Kidney failure occurs when the kidneys can no longer filter these waste products. Diabetes mellitus, a form of the disease that is associated with high blood sugar, is one cause of kidney failure. In due course, these high blood sugar levels damage the millions of tiny filtering units within each kidney. This eventually causes kidney failure. Vision problems: Approximately fifty percent of all people with diabetes eventually develop vision problems. They are at higher risk for cataracts and glaucoma than those without the disease. The most severe complication of diabetes involving the eyes is diabetic retinopathy which occurs when the tiny blood vessels inside the retina become damaged. Many of the vision problems associated with diabetes can be treated with much greater success when caught early. Nerve damage: Approximately two thirds of all people with diabetes eventually develop nerve problems, or neuropathy. The most common symptom of nerve damage is numbness or pain in the feet and legs. This can eventually lead to some degree of disability. Severe nerve damage can lead to amputation of limbs. Infections: Those with diabetes tend to have more infections than those who do not. Early detection and treatment is important to minimize this problem. Gum infections are common and women with diabetes develop vaginal infections more frequently. Sexual problems: Men with diabetes are three times more likely to have erectile dysfunction than men who do not have the disease. They are also more likely to have it earlier in life. About one third of women with diabetes may experience little or no sexual desire. Women often report a lack of sensation in the genital area, inability to reach orgasm and vaginal dryness resulting in pain or discomfort during sexual relations. Foot problems: A typical complication of diabetes is foot injuries. Diabetes damages the nerves so damage to the feet may go unnoticed. Foot ulcers may develop which can easily become infected and difficult to heal. It is important for a person with diabetes to take care of their feet by keeping them clean, protecting them from heat an cold and wearing shoes and socks as much as possible. While your doctor, dietitian, and others involved in your diabetes care will encourage and help you, the patient must take the initiative in avoiding the complications of diabetes. Make sure you take good care of yourself to prevent and minimize them because they are, to a large degree, preventable.
Article Source: http://www.itempad.com
The author, John Richmond, has studied the complications of diabetes and has written several other articles about diabetes as well. To read them please go to www.YourDiabetesInfo.com
