Health Risks Associated With Diabetes
Author: tiger Published Under: Health
Diabetes can be a very serious disease and currently is becoming increasingly more common in Western Countries, such as the United States. There are several types of diabetes, but they all involve how food is broken down and turned into energy.
If properly treated, most of the negative complications caused by diabetes can be avoided. There are three main types of diabetic complications that can occur, with a number of conditions resulting from these complications.
Those with diabetes are at an increased risk of developing vascular disease. A vascular disease is a disease that effects the blood vessels and can cause heart disease or stroke.
Typically vascular diseases are caused by the thickening of the blood vessels linings. This makes it harder for the blood to move through the blood vessels, which become increasingly narrower, restricting the flow of blood and nutrients to the different organs in the body.
Small Blood Vessel Disease is also a complication caused by diabetes and often occurs in the eyes or kidneys. Often, the effects of small blood vessel disease can take a long time to show up, but could lead to blindness or kidney failure.
Nerve damage, which is typically classified as neuropathy, can also be very dangerous and those with diabetes are at an increased risk of developing this disease. In some cases, an injury, such as a blister or small cut, might occur without the individual being aware of it. This cut could easily become infected, which can often lead to an amputation.
There is no way to say for sure who will get a diabetic complication or be effected by them. However, it is generally agreed that those who properly monitor their blood glucose level and for the most part maintain a healthy level will be an a reduced risk of developing complications.
Over a long period of time, improperly maintained diabetes may help increase the rate at which diabetic complications occur, while good blood sugar control can help reduce them. Although, in some cases even those who maintain a good blood sugar level will still develop diabetic complications.
One of the most important steps to avoiding diabetic complications is to get regular checkups and speak with a doctor on a regular basis. Often, a doctor will be able to spot potential problems while they are still in an early stage. Finding and dealing with problems early, while they are still small problems, is one of the most important steps in treating diabetes, so even if an individual feels fine and has been maintaining a healthy blood sugar level, it is still important to regularly goto a doctor.
There are also a number of warning signs of diabetic complications that can occur and if any of these are present, it is important to immediately seek medical attention. This includes, problems with vision, obesity, slow healing wounds, chest pain, vaginal itching, or headaches.
In addition to reporting problems as they arise and regularly visiting a doctor, it is also important to eat healthily, check feet for blisters or cuts on a daily basis, and maintain a healthy weight.