Aside from high blood pressure, there is another health problem that is touted as the silent killer, and that's diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that it is the seventh leading killer in the US. What's scary about it is there are so many complications that can strike if it's left uncontrolled. With the help of an effective diabetes management program Chicago IL offers, a lot of problems that can stem from the disease can be kept at bay. Keep on reading to know some of those serious complications that can be prevented from happening.
Nerve damage. Sometimes referred to as neuropathy, nerve damage is said to affect more than 50 percent of all diabetic individuals. Usually, symptoms such a numbness, pain and tingling sensations can be felt in the arms and feet. Poor blood circulation and severe infections can happen in extreme cases of nerve damage, and they oftentimes result amputations of the affected limbs.
Kidney failure. Your kidneys are the ones responsible for ridding the blood of waste materials and poisonous substances. If you have high levels of sugar in the blood, your kidneys can become overtaxed. It won't take long before they are no longer able to carry out their tasks properly. You don't want that to happen because it usually entails dialysis thrice a week.
Raised blood pressure or hypertension. According to studies, 1 in 3 diabetics suffer from high blood pressure. The risk factors for it and diabetes are kind of the same. Leading a sedentary lifestyle, having unhealthy eating habits and being obese are some of them. Experts confirm that both health problems can exacerbate each other. You can expect really serious complications to strike if you suffer from them all at once.
Heart disease. High levels of blood sugar can damage the blood vessels and the heart sooner or later. It's exactly for this reason why diabetic individuals are at high risk of dying from heart disease. Doctors add that having high blood pressure and high cholesterol can further increase heart disease risk.
Sleep apnea. Because most diabetic individuals are also obese, it's not unlikely for them to suffer from sleep apnea. A type of sleep disorder, it causes the person to stop breathing several times during sleep. This causes the brain to fail to get enough oxygen, thus causing lethargy and fatigue to be experienced the following day. Experts say that sleep apnea has to be treated because it can increase the likelihood of heart attack and stroke.
Poor vision. The blood vessels that provide your retina with nutrients and oxygen can become damaged due to high blood sugar levels. In time, you may develop what's known as diabetic retinopathy. If you have it, you may have double vision and also night blindness. Eventually, it may rob you of your eyesight.
In order to fend off these scary complications, it's important for the diabetic individual to have regular checkups. He or she should strictly abide by the recommended dietary and lifestyle changes by a doctor. The truth is a diabetic individual can live a long and happy life without complications if he or she will learn how to effectively control the disease.
Nerve damage. Sometimes referred to as neuropathy, nerve damage is said to affect more than 50 percent of all diabetic individuals. Usually, symptoms such a numbness, pain and tingling sensations can be felt in the arms and feet. Poor blood circulation and severe infections can happen in extreme cases of nerve damage, and they oftentimes result amputations of the affected limbs.
Kidney failure. Your kidneys are the ones responsible for ridding the blood of waste materials and poisonous substances. If you have high levels of sugar in the blood, your kidneys can become overtaxed. It won't take long before they are no longer able to carry out their tasks properly. You don't want that to happen because it usually entails dialysis thrice a week.
Raised blood pressure or hypertension. According to studies, 1 in 3 diabetics suffer from high blood pressure. The risk factors for it and diabetes are kind of the same. Leading a sedentary lifestyle, having unhealthy eating habits and being obese are some of them. Experts confirm that both health problems can exacerbate each other. You can expect really serious complications to strike if you suffer from them all at once.
Heart disease. High levels of blood sugar can damage the blood vessels and the heart sooner or later. It's exactly for this reason why diabetic individuals are at high risk of dying from heart disease. Doctors add that having high blood pressure and high cholesterol can further increase heart disease risk.
Sleep apnea. Because most diabetic individuals are also obese, it's not unlikely for them to suffer from sleep apnea. A type of sleep disorder, it causes the person to stop breathing several times during sleep. This causes the brain to fail to get enough oxygen, thus causing lethargy and fatigue to be experienced the following day. Experts say that sleep apnea has to be treated because it can increase the likelihood of heart attack and stroke.
Poor vision. The blood vessels that provide your retina with nutrients and oxygen can become damaged due to high blood sugar levels. In time, you may develop what's known as diabetic retinopathy. If you have it, you may have double vision and also night blindness. Eventually, it may rob you of your eyesight.
In order to fend off these scary complications, it's important for the diabetic individual to have regular checkups. He or she should strictly abide by the recommended dietary and lifestyle changes by a doctor. The truth is a diabetic individual can live a long and happy life without complications if he or she will learn how to effectively control the disease.
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