What are the side effects of diabetes? There are many diabetes side effects to consider. Diabetes side effects may include simple things such as infection to more severe conditions that require amputation. The diabetes side effects that a person suffers will depend on how that person has cared for themselves and managed their condition. All diabetics will have diabetes side effects of one type or another, despite their best efforts.
According to Ehow.com, common side effects of diabetes include:
Diabetic Retinopathy – Each year this is an eye disease causes over 20,000 diabetics to go blind. It is caused by diabetes damaging the blood vessels in the retina.
Diabetic Dermopathy – In this condition, circular, scaly patches of skin form. They are brown in color and they appear on the front of the legs most often. This skin condition is caused by changes in the small blood vessels of the skin.
Foot Ulcers – Foot ulcers are open sores that form on the bottom of the feet. In diabetes, the healing process slows down and even the smallest cut can become infected. If a foot ulcer is left untreated, it often leads to amputation.
Poor Circulation – Diabetes causes blood vessels to constrict and harden. This usually causes poor circulation. The feet and the legs are usually the most impacted. Heart attacks and strokes occur as a result of this as well.
Neuropathy – Caused by poor circulation as well, diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage) causes diabetics to no longer feel pain in their extremities, particularly in their feet. Since diabetics cannot feel cuts, scrapes, extreme temperatures, or even breaks, the conditions can go unnoticed and untreated. Diabetic neuropathy leads to the deformities of toes and feet as well.
Avoiding Diabetes Complications
Thanks to medical innovations and ever-changing diabetic treatment, diabetics are living longer and with fewer complications. The changes people have made in their own lifestyles probably play the biggest part of all. Reducing your risk of diabetes side effects begins with controlling your own blood sugar levels. This means careful monitoring, a healthy diet, and daily exercise.
The second step to avoiding complications is learning all that you can about the disease. According to DiabeticLivingOnline.com, people with diabetes are 4 times more likely to develop atherosclerosis, and 5 times more likely to have a stroke than the general population. Furthermore, 2 out of 3 diabetics die from heart attack and stroke; yet, only 18% of people ever realize they are at a higher risk. Learning as much as you can about this disease is the greatest weapon that you have for protecting yourself from diabetes side effects.
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