Complications
Diabetic Complications are real if you don't take care of yourself. Fluctuations in blood sugars can damage the body in different ways.
- Diabetic Retinopathy - you can go blind or lose some vision as high sugars can cause detachment of the retina in the back of your eye. Laser therapy to stop damage is necessary. It is recommended to have a photo of the back of the eye photo taken yearly to check for damage.
- Neuropathy - Peripheral, autonomic, mononeuropathy or proximal are the types of neuropathy.
- Peripheral - most common -- affects the hands, arms, legs and feet which usually is on both sides with numbness, tingling or lack of full sensation that may include sharp pain, muscle weakness, lack of reflexes, gangrene, ulcers, infections or joint damage or may need amputation.
- Autonomic Neuropathy - nerves that control internal organs. (blood pressure, heart, sweat glands, eyes, bladder, digestion, sex organs).
- You may get frequent UTI's, constipation, diarrhea, infections, appetite loss slower gastric emptying erectile dysfunction, vaginal dryness lower libido changes in blood pressure or dizziness.
- Proximal Neuropathy - Affects nerves in the thighs, butt, or legs. It is more common in Type 2 and those older than age 50. Symptoms include pain in hip butt, thighs, muscle wasting, chest pain or weight loss.
- Mononeuropathy - This affects a single nerve but you shouldn't ignore it. You may have double vision, trouble focusing, eye aches, shin pain, pins and needles or loss of feeling where the nerve has been affected. You could also have nerve compression (carpal tunnel in fingers or hands)
- Autonomic Neuropathy - nerves that control internal organs. (blood pressure, heart, sweat glands, eyes, bladder, digestion, sex organs).
- Peripheral - most common -- affects the hands, arms, legs and feet which usually is on both sides with numbness, tingling or lack of full sensation that may include sharp pain, muscle weakness, lack of reflexes, gangrene, ulcers, infections or joint damage or may need amputation.
- Gangrene - Uncontrolled blood sugars damages nerves and causes a lack of sensation and may result in gangrene. This happens when body tissue dies and blood flow is disrupted or blocked. It can also resutl from an injury or infection of the skin and soft tissue or poor wound healing. High blood sugars can affect your blood vessels and limit the blood flow to your feet. This causes a chain reaction. If your feet aren’t getting enough circulation, fewer infection-fighting cells are making their way there . If you don’t have enough of these cells in the area, any wounds you develop can take longer to heal or not heal at all and you will begin to see your skin turn a dark color which means gangrene may be setting in.
- Dental Issues: Diabetics are more likely to have gum disease, cavities, and other problems with teeth and gums. If your oral health is poor, this will make your diabetes worse. Brushing daily and flossing regularly are essential to keep bacteria and cavities and gum disease to a minimum.
Diabetes and high sugars affect your dental health by changing your salvia. Saliva prevents tooth decay by washing away pieces of food, preventing bacteria from growing, and fighting the acids produced by bacteria. Saliva also has minerals that help protect tissues in your mouth and fight tooth decay.
Diabetes and some medications used to treat it can cause the salivary glands to make less saliva, which increases the risk for cavities or gum disease Some meds can increase the amount of sugar in your saliva, which feeds bacteria combined with food you eat which builds plaque. If plaque builds up on your teeth and gums, it becomes tartar which turns into gum disease.
If left untreated, it can lead to tooth loss, gingivitis, cavities, mouth ulcers.
According to recent statistics a quarter of U.S. adults with diabetes ages 50 and older have severe tooth loss, compared with about 16% of those without diabetes.
Gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease, is mild inflammation of the soft tissues around your teeth. Your gums become red and swollen and may bleed easily. The 2nd stage of gum disease is periodontitis, infection of the gums that hold your teeth in place. Pockets form that become infected, and the bacteria in your mouth break down the bone and tissue holding your teeth in place. If this condition becomes severe, you’ll need one or more teeth removed.
Other conditions related to oral health include dry mouth, which can cause mouth sores, ulcers and infections, thrush which is a fungal infection with white patches in the mouth, burning moth syndrome caused by high blood sugars. This changes the way foods and beverages taste.
Things to check for with your oral health:
- red, swollen, bleeding gums
- receding gum line
- gums pulling away from your teeth
- loose teeth
- increasing spaces between your teeth
- dry mouth
- continued bad breath