Care Points – An Ultimate resource for In-depth Health Information and articles

Diabetes can have complications that affect your body so silently and gradually that you may not even realize what is happening until it is too late. In fact, for some people, it is only when a problem arises that the underlying source of the problem—diabetes—is discovered. When diabetes is diagnosed early and properly controlled, however, these complications can be greatly minimized.

Diabetes complications have their start in the changes diabetes causes in the smaller blood vessels of the body, and in the nervous system. Complications affect the eyes, the kidneys, the nerves, and the heart. Generally, the longer you had been a diabetic before being diagnosed, the longer you have had diabetes in all, and the less control you have over your diabetes, the greater your risk for complications, though no doctor can predict with absolute accuracy who will and who will not develop complications.

Heart disease is the most common and perhaps most dangerous complication of diabetes. Diabetic patients develop heart disease twice as often as non-diabetic patients. In addition to controlling their disease, diabetics can control other risk factors that can cause heart disease, such as hypertension (high blood pressure), hypercholesterolemia (high levels of cholesterol), cigarette smoking, and excessive weight or obesity. Reducing any of these additional risk factors will lessen the likelihood of heart disease.

Kidney disease is another complication of diabetes. As with heart disease, controlling diabetes helps to avoid complications from kidney damage and kidney disease. Another risk factor for kidney disease is hypertension, or high blood pressure. Monitoring your blood pressure and maintaining it at a healthy level can help prevent kidney disease and other complications.

Blurry vision is a common problem among diabetes patients, though proper blood sugar control can go along way toward eliminating that problem. Diabetes can threaten your vision in several other ways. If you have diabetes you are at greater risk for glaucoma and cataracts. Diabetic retinopathy is another well documented complication that may affect patients. It is essential for all diabetics to have regular eye examinations and to keep their blood glucose level stable if they wish to avoid eye problems. Many eye problems can be avoided or eliminated all together with proper diabetes control.

Peripheral vascular disease, or disease of the veins not in the heart or brain, is another problem that people with diabetes have to guard against. Diabetes affects the nerves and blood vessels in the legs and feet, and can lead to diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage from diabetes). Diabetic neuropathy and peripheral vascular disease can lead to serious complications and possibly even amputation. Again, proper care and control of diabetes is your best line of defense.

Because of poor circulation, patients with diabetes are prone to oral and skin infections. Any cut, scratch, injury, or sore that is not healing well or promptly should be immediately brought to the attention of your physician or other health care provider. Left unchecked, such infections can be quite serious, even life threatening.

Did you know that the changes in lifestyle you will be faced with when you are told you have diabetes will make you a healthier person overall? Not only will your new lifestyle help you manage your diabetes, but you’ll enjoy all of your life more if you take a few important steps to becoming a healthier individual.

Your health care professional wants to help you fight the damage diabetes can do to your body. The more you manage your diabetes, the more you can prevent the serious side-effects it can cause. Your health care professional will assess the severity of your disease, determine whether or not you need medications and which type, and advise you on the lifestyle changes you need to make. The more you work together with your health care provider, the more you can prevent diabetes from getting out of control.

The complications of diabetes are many and troublesome. They include diseases of the eyes, heart, and kidneys to name only a few. The medications used to treat diabetes are not without their side-effects as well. There are ways you can control the progress of diabetes, however. The most important of these are diet, exercise and education.

Eating a healthy diet means nutritious food and regular meals (and snacks if recommended by your nutritionist or health care provider). You may need to watch the amount of salt, fat, or carbohydrates you consume; in some cases, even protein intake must be monitored. Maintaining a healthy weight will help you maintain your health and aid in preventing further diabetes complication. Some patients are able to manage their diabetes through diet and exercise alone and do not need to take supplemental medications.

Exercise can help make your heart stronger, help you achieve or stay at a healthy weight, and help you feel better, all while making it easier to keep your blood sugar under control. Always talk to your physician or health care provider before beginning any new exercise plan. If you have been newly diagnosed with diabetes, talk to your physician or health care provider about any exercises you are currently doing to see if they may be continued or need to be modified.

The more you understand about how diabetes affect you body, the better able you will be to control your diabetes. We are learning new things about diabetes and the ways to treat it every day. New medications are also being discovered that help diabetics manage their blood sugar. Testing methods are using smaller and smaller blood samples, making those routine blood sugar readings less painful. Your doctor, nutritionist, or other health care provider can help you learn more about diabetes. There are also many reputable sources of information online. The more you know about your disease, the more you can control it, and live the life you deserve.