The rate of diabetes in the United States is increasing rapidly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in 2006, and approximately 10.7 percent of U.S. adults are diabetic. Over time, poorly controlled diabetes will affect every part of your body.
Eyes
The most common eye complication associated with diabetes is diabetic retinopathy. This occurs when you have hypertension (high blood pressure) and high blood glucose over a period of time. The glucose and high blood pressure can damage the tiny blood vessels in the back of your eyes, causing them to become blocked and leaky. The lack of blood in some areas of your eyes, combined with the leaking of blood, can cause blindness. This is why it is so important for diabetics to have an annual eye exam.
Nerves
When you have diabetes for a long time, it is likely that you will experience some degree of nerve damage. The damage can be anywhere, even in your intestines, but the most common areas affected by diabetic neuropathy are your extremities. While you may not have symptoms, often there is pain, numbness or tingling in your arms, legs, hands and feet. Tight control of your blood sugar can help prevent neuropathy.
Skin
The American Diabetes Association says that as many as 33 percent of diabetics have or will have a skin disorder caused or affected by diabetes at some point in their lives. Many of the skin disorders diabetics develop are related to nerve damage or circulatory problems caused by diabetes.
Nerve damage can result in you being unable to feel pain when you are injured. This means you can cut or burn yourself and not realize it if you don’t see it happen. You may step on something or burn yourself with hot water, leaving the open, injured skin at risk for infection.
High blood sugar over a long period of time damages your blood vessels. Poor blood flow makes wounds heal more slowly, and it can also cause wounds. Slow healing and extra glucose in your tissues make it easier for bacteria and fungus to grow, causing infections that can be hard to get rid of, even with medications. You should check your skin all over at least once a day.
Blood Vessels
Not only is diabetes an independent risk factor for heart disease and stroke, but it also doubles your chances of both. It does this by raising your risk of blood clots and contributing to cerebral vascular disease and coronary artery disease, which narrows your blood vessels and makes them less flexible. You can decrease the risk of heart disease and stroke with a healthy diet and daily exercise.
Kidneys
Another part of your body affected by damaged blood vessels due to diabetes is your kidneys. Tiny vessels in your kidneys help filter your blood, sorting the waste into your urine and the nutrients back into your cardiovascular system. When these vessels are damaged by long-term diabetes, they cannot filter properly. This puts waste back into your circulatory system and lets protein into your urine. Eventually, your kidneys can fail so that you need dialysis or a transplant. This damage usually takes many years, and good control of blood sugars can help decrease your risk of kidney failure.
Kidney damage can cause high blood pressure, and high blood pressure can also worsen kidney damage. This is why your health care provider monitors your blood pressure as closely as your blood sugars. Keeping your blood pressure at a healthy level protects your kidneys, and it also indicates your kidneys are still working. Diet and medications play a big role in kidney health and blood pressure control.
