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Long Term Effects of Diabetes

By Gail Lynn

Republish: EasyPublish™
Published: 12Mar2012
Word count: 517
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Diabetes is an extremely serious disease with potentially life-threatening complications. Unfortunately, however, the symptoms often go ignored for a long time before they are ever diagnosed. If left undiagnosed and untreated, diabetes can take a toll on all parts of the body, from the vital organs, to the nerves and cardiovascular system, to the eyes, gums and feet.

The danger of diabetes is that one symptom or complication can quickly lead to others, resulting in a breakdown of the body's systems. Understanding the potential long term effects at their source is an important step in remedying them.

Cardiovascular Disease

A dangerous result of diabetes is increased cholesterol levels, which can easily lead to cardiovascular disease. High blood cholesterol often results in atherosclerosis, or fatty deposits in the arteries. These deposits narrow the openings in blood vessels, making the heart pump much harder to circulate blood throughout the body.

When the arteries in the heart or brain are blocked, heart attack and stroke are imminent. Blocked blood vessels in the legs and feet very often lead to ulcers and infections, even resulting in the loss of a limb.

Nerve Damage

A serious complication that can develop in long-term diabetes sufferers is diabetic neuropathy, or nerve damage. This damage can occur in many parts of the body, and can range from slight numbness in the hands or feet to serious impairment of vital organs.

Eye Problems

Diabetes sufferers are at risk for a number of eye diseases:

Cataracts cause a gradual blurring of the vision as the lens of the eyeball thickens and becomes clouded. Cataracts can require surgery to remove.

Retinopathy affects the retina, and will result in blindness if not remedied. This is a result of damages to the blood vessels in the retina.

Glaucoma is also common to diabetes sufferers. Glaucoma causes pressure to build inside the eye, eventually causing damage to the retina and optic nerve due to decreased blood pressure.

Kidney Disease

High blood sugar levels can cause damage to the blood vessels in the kidneys, which leads to kidney disease. If caught early, kidney disease can be remedied with proper treatment; however without treatment, a sufferer could face kidney failure, which would require dialysis or a kidney transplant.

Periodontal Disease

Diabetics often have more plaque and less saliva, as well as higher blood sugar. These symptoms, combined with loss of collagen and poor blood circulation very often result in periodontal (or gum) disease. Periodontal disease causes sensitive, painful, and often bleeding gums, and will require serious dental care.

Don't ignore the symptoms

Talking about the long-term effects can be frightening for some folks; however it is imperative to know the potential seriousness of this disease. When one realizes how dangerous diabetes can be, and how far-reaching its effects can be, a sufferer is more likely to be proactive and determined to treat and prevent the disease.

Get more information about non-invasive, Colorado diabetes alternative treatments at the Life Vessel of the Rockies serving Denver, Boulder and the Front Range area and beyond, or call today to find out how it can relieve your symptoms

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