New Delhi: Diabetes is a chronic disease and also the leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, and lower limb amputation, the WHO says. Its prevalence has been rising globally, with over half a billion confirmed diabetics in 2021. If left unmanaged, diabetes can lead to a wide range of complications such as eye and heart disease, stroke, gallbladder, kidney, liver, and digestive problems. It is imperative to manage diabetes with the help of an expert to prevent these serious complications that can impact one’s quality of life.
Dr Rajiv Kovil, Head of Diabetology, Zandra Healthcare and Co-founder of Rang De Neela shared with News9“A large number of people aged 25-75 are known to have diabetes and may struggle further due to the complications related to it. The symptoms of diabetes are feeling extremely thirsty, frequent nighttime urination, weight loss, blurred vision, tiredness, tingling, and numbness in hands and feet. Vaginal or penile thrush, dark rashes around the neck or armpits. The risk factors of diabetes are family history, age, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and other comorbidities such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, and stress.”
Those with diabetes have to prioritise their health by adhering to the instructions given by the expert. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to serious complications with negative outcomes in patients.
There are various complications linked to poorly controlled diabetes:
· Foot problems: There is hampered blood flow in diabetes patients due to nerve damage that can cause foot problems such as ulcers. Unhealed ulcers can lead to gangrene and leg amputation. It is essential to take utmost care of your feet and prevent any kind of infection.
· Eye disease: Did you know? That constant high blood sugar levels can damage blood vessels in the eyes, causing swelling fluid changes, and impaired vision.
· Heart disease and stroke: Are commonly seen due to unmanaged diabetes and can cause lifetime disability. These conditions tend to cause higher morbidity and mortality rates in the country.
· Kidney disease: High blood sugar levels take a toll on blood vessels in the kidneys, leading to kidney disease.
· Nerve damage: It can cause pain, tingling, burning, and loss of feeling. Hence, it is necessary to control blood sugar levels with the help of an expert.
· Sexual and bladder problems: Nerve damage and impacted blood flow in the bladder and genitals, raising the risk of sexual and bladder problems. Men can have problems such as Erectile Dysfunction (ED) and low libido in women.
· Bowel movement problems: Diabetes leads to constipation and even indigestion.
· Osteoporosis: Diabetes causes bone diseases, including osteoporosis which is weak and brittle bones.
· Liver disease: Diabetes can increase the risk of complications such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), cirrhosis, encephalopathy, and variceal haemorrhage. It is better to consult an expert who will design a tailor-made treatment plan for you.
Those having diabetes should exercise daily for at least 45 minutes, eat a nutritious diet, stay stress-free by doing yoga and meditation, monitor their blood sugar levels from time to time, do an HBA1 C test as recommended by the expert, and take medication without ignoring their health. controlling diabetes will help one to improve the quality of life and keep the serious complications at bay.
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