Q. What are the most common complications linked to diabetes? As a person living with diabetes, what can I do to prevent these complications?
A. By itself, diabetes is a serious condition that requires symptom management and a comprehensive treatment plan. Due to nature of this disease, it is also linked to a number of other serious conditions which require monitoring and management.
Diabetes can cause your blood sugar levels to be above a healthy range. If left unmanaged, these elevated blood sugar levels will damage important nerves and blood vessels, and this damage can manifest itself in various functions and areas of the body.
Common complications
Diabetes has been linked to a number of health complications, and the most common of which include:
• neuropathy (nerve damage)
• retinopathy (eye damage)
• nephropathy (kidney damage)
• cardiovascular disease (heart attack and stroke)
Neuropathy
Warning signs and symptoms:
• numbness, usually in toes and feet
• tingling, burning or sharp pain, usually in toes and feet
• muscle weakness
• foot sores
• erectile dysfunction
Understanding neuropathy:
Your nerves are hard at work transporting messages between your brain and other body parts. When these nerves are damaged, their ability to carry important messages is compromised.Our body counts on the nerves to tell us when something is wrong, so neuropathy can be a serious threat when infections, injuries, bone problems, and joint damage go undetected. If these problems are allowed to progress, they can result in permanent deformity or amputation.
The most common victims of neuropathy are the legs and feet. People with diabetes should check their feet for problems (including swelling, redness or a warm sensation) each day, in addition to having their physician regularly examine the feet and legs during appointments.
Retinopathy
Warning signs and symptoms:
• blurred vision or sudden loss of vision
• black spots or flashing lights in vision
• eye redness
• eye pain or pressure
Understanding retinopathy:
Your retina senses light and plays a central role in your ability to see. Diabetes can put your vision at risk if it damages the tiny vessels in the retina. Damaged retina vessels can leak fluid, thereby causing swelling, pressure and blurred vision. If the condition progresses, it can cause the retina to actually detach from the back of the eye and cause blindness.
The earlier retinopathy is diagnosed, the more effective the treatment, which may include laser surgery. People with diabetes should include an annual eye exam as a part of their diabetes management plan.
Nephropathy
Warning signs and symptoms:
• Kidney disease usually produces no symptoms until almost all function is gone.
• The first sign of nephropathy is often protein in the urine, which can be screened for by your physician.
Understanding nephropathy:
The kidneys serve as our body's natural filters, removing waste as well as regulating proteins and red blood cells. If high blood sugar levels cause nerve damage in the kidneys, they cannot effectively perform needed filtration duties for the body. As a result, the body is exposed to harmful waste build-up in the blood.
If a physician finds protein in the urine in the early stages, medication and treatment targeting blood sugar and blood pressure levels can be effective in protecting the kidneys from further damage. In cases where the damage has progressed, the patient will eventually require dialysis (regular treatments to filter the blood) or a kidney transplant. People with diabetes should have their urine screened for protein each year. Individuals with both diabetes and high blood pressure have a higher risk of developing nephropathy.
Cardiovascular Disease
Call 911 immediately if you experience the below warning signs.
Warning signs and symptoms of heart attack:
• chest pain
• pain in arms, back, jaw, neck, or stomach
• shortness of breath
• sweating or light-headedness
• indigestion or nausea
• unexplained tiredness
Warning signs and symptoms
• weakness or numbness on one side of your body
• sudden confusion or trouble understanding
• trouble talking or slurred speech
• dizziness, loss of balance, or trouble walking
• trouble seeing out of one or both eyes
• double vision
• severe headache
Understanding cardiovascular disease:
Diabetes is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. People with diabetes are at an even greater risk if they:
• have high blood pressure or abnormal blood cholesterol levels
• are overweight
• smoke
• have a personal or family history of cardiovascular disease
• live a sedentary lifestyle
• eat foods high in fat, sugar or salt
• consume excessive amounts of alcohol
Diabetes management goes beyond controlling your blood glucose levels. By managing controllable cardiovascular risk factors, you are also managing your diabetes.Cardiovascular disease is easiest to treat when caught early, so it's important you discuss your risk factors with your physician and receive appropriate screenings. By doing so, you may avoid a debilitating or life-ending event, such as a stroke or heart attack.
Preventing complications
If you have diabetes, you can prevent and limit complications by:
• monitoring blood sugar levels and keeping them in as healthy of a range as possible. Your healthcare provider will discuss your best target range.
• eating a healthy, balanced diet while avoiding foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt
• maintaining healthy weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels
• exercising regularly
• not smoking
• seeking immediate medical care when you experience warning signs of complications
• following a comprehensive diabetes management plan. This includes having regular visits with your physician (even when you feel healthy), receiving recommended screenings and exams, and monitoring and reporting any symptoms or concerns.
-As an Endocrinologist, Dr. Paul Bekx treats disorders of the endocrine system, which include endocrine glands and the hormones they secrete. He received his Medical Degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin, where he completed part of a Family Practice Residency.Dr. Bekx also completed an Internal Medicine Residency at Ohio State University and an Endocrinology Fellowship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
A. By itself, diabetes is a serious condition that requires symptom management and a comprehensive treatment plan. Due to nature of this disease, it is also linked to a number of other serious conditions which require monitoring and management.
Diabetes can cause your blood sugar levels to be above a healthy range. If left unmanaged, these elevated blood sugar levels will damage important nerves and blood vessels, and this damage can manifest itself in various functions and areas of the body.
Common complications
Diabetes has been linked to a number of health complications, and the most common of which include:
• neuropathy (nerve damage)
• retinopathy (eye damage)
• nephropathy (kidney damage)
• cardiovascular disease (heart attack and stroke)
Neuropathy
Warning signs and symptoms:
• numbness, usually in toes and feet
• tingling, burning or sharp pain, usually in toes and feet
• muscle weakness
• foot sores
• erectile dysfunction
Understanding neuropathy:
Your nerves are hard at work transporting messages between your brain and other body parts. When these nerves are damaged, their ability to carry important messages is compromised.Our body counts on the nerves to tell us when something is wrong, so neuropathy can be a serious threat when infections, injuries, bone problems, and joint damage go undetected. If these problems are allowed to progress, they can result in permanent deformity or amputation.
The most common victims of neuropathy are the legs and feet. People with diabetes should check their feet for problems (including swelling, redness or a warm sensation) each day, in addition to having their physician regularly examine the feet and legs during appointments.
Retinopathy
Warning signs and symptoms:
• blurred vision or sudden loss of vision
• black spots or flashing lights in vision
• eye redness
• eye pain or pressure
Understanding retinopathy:
Your retina senses light and plays a central role in your ability to see. Diabetes can put your vision at risk if it damages the tiny vessels in the retina. Damaged retina vessels can leak fluid, thereby causing swelling, pressure and blurred vision. If the condition progresses, it can cause the retina to actually detach from the back of the eye and cause blindness.
The earlier retinopathy is diagnosed, the more effective the treatment, which may include laser surgery. People with diabetes should include an annual eye exam as a part of their diabetes management plan.
Nephropathy
Warning signs and symptoms:
• Kidney disease usually produces no symptoms until almost all function is gone.
• The first sign of nephropathy is often protein in the urine, which can be screened for by your physician.
Understanding nephropathy:
The kidneys serve as our body's natural filters, removing waste as well as regulating proteins and red blood cells. If high blood sugar levels cause nerve damage in the kidneys, they cannot effectively perform needed filtration duties for the body. As a result, the body is exposed to harmful waste build-up in the blood.
If a physician finds protein in the urine in the early stages, medication and treatment targeting blood sugar and blood pressure levels can be effective in protecting the kidneys from further damage. In cases where the damage has progressed, the patient will eventually require dialysis (regular treatments to filter the blood) or a kidney transplant. People with diabetes should have their urine screened for protein each year. Individuals with both diabetes and high blood pressure have a higher risk of developing nephropathy.
Cardiovascular Disease
Call 911 immediately if you experience the below warning signs.
Warning signs and symptoms of heart attack:
• chest pain
• pain in arms, back, jaw, neck, or stomach
• shortness of breath
• sweating or light-headedness
• indigestion or nausea
• unexplained tiredness
Warning signs and symptoms
• weakness or numbness on one side of your body
• sudden confusion or trouble understanding
• trouble talking or slurred speech
• dizziness, loss of balance, or trouble walking
• trouble seeing out of one or both eyes
• double vision
• severe headache
Understanding cardiovascular disease:
Diabetes is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. People with diabetes are at an even greater risk if they:
• have high blood pressure or abnormal blood cholesterol levels
• are overweight
• smoke
• have a personal or family history of cardiovascular disease
• live a sedentary lifestyle
• eat foods high in fat, sugar or salt
• consume excessive amounts of alcohol
Diabetes management goes beyond controlling your blood glucose levels. By managing controllable cardiovascular risk factors, you are also managing your diabetes.Cardiovascular disease is easiest to treat when caught early, so it's important you discuss your risk factors with your physician and receive appropriate screenings. By doing so, you may avoid a debilitating or life-ending event, such as a stroke or heart attack.
Preventing complications
If you have diabetes, you can prevent and limit complications by:
• monitoring blood sugar levels and keeping them in as healthy of a range as possible. Your healthcare provider will discuss your best target range.
• eating a healthy, balanced diet while avoiding foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt
• maintaining healthy weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels
• exercising regularly
• not smoking
• seeking immediate medical care when you experience warning signs of complications
• following a comprehensive diabetes management plan. This includes having regular visits with your physician (even when you feel healthy), receiving recommended screenings and exams, and monitoring and reporting any symptoms or concerns.
-As an Endocrinologist, Dr. Paul Bekx treats disorders of the endocrine system, which include endocrine glands and the hormones they secrete. He received his Medical Degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin, where he completed part of a Family Practice Residency.Dr. Bekx also completed an Internal Medicine Residency at Ohio State University and an Endocrinology Fellowship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
