In Diabetes, the level of sugar in the blood is higher than normal. This high blood sugar level can damage your blood vessels and the nerves that run throughout your body. The damage to blood vessels and nerves can lead to a number of problems like blindness and feet problems.
Your Eyes…
Uncontrolled or poorly controlled diabetes can damage the small blood vessels of the retina leading to retinopathy. If retinopathy is found early, laser treatment can help keep you from losing your vision. But if it's not treated, retinopathy can cause blindness.
Therefore, is important to have your eyes checked regularly. At least once a year an eye check should be done as the changes in your eyes can only be seen through special equipment and you may not notice the early signs.
Some alert signs are…
- Blurred vision for more than two days
- Sudden loss of vision in one or both the eyes
- Redness, pain or pressure felt in your eye
- Black spots, cobwebs or flashing lights in your vision that really does not exist
Tips for preventing eye problems …
- Control your blood glucose levels
- Control on blood pressure
- Control on blood cholesterol levels
- Regularly visit your family doctor
- To have a balanced planned diet
- Avoid foods that are high in fat and sugar
- To give up addictions like tobacco and alcohol
Your Feet…
In diabetes, nerves are damaged (called as diabetic neuropathy). Neuropathy most often affects the feet and legs. Also, the damaged blood vessels may affect the blood supply to your feet. The damaged nerve and blood supply may give rise to foot injuries like blisters, calluses, in growing toenails, fungal infections, ulcers, etc.
So, it is important that every diabetic should check his/her feet everyday for any unusual sign or sensation. Use a mirror to check your feet as it is difficult to have a complete look of your foot. Call your doctor if you notice anything unusual, including foot pain, coldness, a shiny appearance to your skin, loss of hair on the foot or toes, or thickened nails. Be sure to have your feet checked by your doctor at least once a year. The tips listed in the box below can help you prevent problems
Tips for foot care are…
- Wash you feet daily in warm and soapy water
- Gently dry your feet
- Check for injuries everyday on your feet
- Change your socks everyday
- Avoid going barefoot
- Wear shoes that properly fit your feet and provide plenty of room for our feet
- A worn out pair of shoes will lose their ability to support you and will cause feet, leg and back fatigue. Therefore, you should replace your shoes within six months of use
- It is always advisable to check your shoes regularly to make sure that they are free of stones, sharp and lumpy objects
- Trim your toe nails after soaking your foot in warm water for 10 minutes as it softens the toe nails
- Never cut the nails very close to your skin
- Foot massages are also helpful
- Always check with your doctor first before treating corns and calluses
Diabetes also affects other organs of the body like kidneys and heart. Diabetes can also damage the blood vessels of the kidneys so much that they can't filter out waste from your body. This damage is called diabetic nephropathy. Some people who have nephropathy may need dialysis or kidney transplant. Presence of protein in urine is an important sign of nephropathy. Hence, this should be checked yearly as an early detection will protect your kidneys from damage.
People with diabetes are at greater risk for cardiac diseases and stroke. The risk is even greater for people who have hypertension, who smoke, who a family history of heart disease and those who are overweight. It is very important to see your doctor on a regular basis as your doctor can test for early signs of any heart disease or stroke.
The risk for nephropathy, heart diseases and stroke is highly increased if you have both diabetes and high blood pressure. The most imperative thing for a diabetic is to control his/her blood sugar level. Equally important is to control the blood cholesterol levels and blood pressure. It is also crucial to maintain a healthy weight.
Besides these, eating healthy foods which are low in fat and sugar, quitting smoking and being physically active on a regular basis are few steps that every diabetic must take to save himself/herself from the complications of the disease. Remember ‘A stitch in time saves nine.’ Therefore, it is advisable to go for regular check-ups with your doctor even if you are feeling fine as an early detection of any complication can save you from lot of problems. It is the time to deal with your health problems. So, do not wait…Act Now!
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