An estimated 18 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with diabetes as of 2007, according to the American Diabetes Association. Moreover, about 57 million Americans have pre-diabetes, with almost 2 million new cases of diabetes being diagnosed in people age 20 years and older. Whether or not it is treated, diabetes can cause serious symptoms.
Bone and Joint problems
Osteoporosis is a possible advanced diabetes symptom, notes MayoClinic.com. This condition causes bones to become very brittle. This is often due to low levels of calcium and minerals that strengthen bone.
Cardiovascular Disease
Diabetes affects the body's average blood sugar levels, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, explains the American Diabetes Association. When these factors are elevated, they can increase the risk of various cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease, heart attack and stroke, notes MayoClinic.com. As such, it is not uncommon for advanced diabetes to develop any number of cardiovascular diseases.
Eye Damage
Diabetes can damage the retina's blood vessels, notes MayoClinic.com. Blindness is a possible advanced diabetes symptom, as well as glaucoma. Diabetics are 40 percent more likely to develop glaucoma than non-diabetics and about 60 percent more likely to develop cataracts, notes the American Diabetes Association.
Foot Damage
Nerve damage as well as poor blood circulation in the legs and feet increases the risk of foot-related complications, notes MayoClinic.com. Diabetes causes blood vessels in this area to narrow and harden. Moreover, poor blood circulation can impair the body's immune response in the legs and feet. As such, blisters or wounds heal at a much slower rate and are thus more prone to more serious infection. Diabetes may require some infected extremities to be amputated, explains the American Diabetes Association.
Kidney Disease
Kidney disease, or nephropathy, can develop as a result of advanced diabetes. Diabetes can damage the blood vessels in the kidney, notes MayoClinic.com. This is often related to the hypertension caused by diabetes, explains the American Diabetes Association.
Neuropathy
Prolonged elevated blood sugar levels caused by diabetes can damage the blood vessels of the nerves. This can cause a tingling numbness, or even a burning sensation that starts at the tips of fingers or toes but spreads to the rest of the arms or legs. Nerve damage in the digestive system can cause other problems such as nausea, diarrhea or constipation.
Peripheral Arterial Disease
Peripheral arterial disease, or PAD, develops when fat deposits decrease or totally block blood flow to the feet and legs. PAD develops in one-third of diabetics older than age 50, explains the American Diabetes Association.
Skin Problems
Diabetes can also leave the skin more vulnerable to bacterial and fungal infections, as well as itching, notes MayoClinic.com. Diabetes may also cause atherosclerosis to develop, which in turn can cause the skin in the leg area to become hairless and shiny. Acanthosis nigricans, a condition in which raised tan or brown patches of skin appear on the neck, armpits or groin area, is another skin problem associated with advanced diabetes, explains the American Diabetes Association.
