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Keep Diabetes Complications at bay with early diagnosis
Since diabetes can lie dormant for a number of years without being detected, by the time a person is diagnosed with this chronic illness, complications may have already set in.
Therefore, it is important to have regular checks to make sure that the levels of blood sugar are normal. Taking this precaution can avoid the risks of complications which can affect many other parts of the body, such as the eye, the foot, blood vessels, nerves, the kidney and the heart.
Do not put off seeing a doctor if you experience blurred vision that does not go away for more than two days, feel a pain in the eye or a sudden lost of vision. These may be the symptoms of eye related problems.
When there are high levels of blood sugar, the blood vessels found in the retina are subjected to damages, resulting in a condition known as diabetic retinopathy. This is when the blood vessels which are already weak, leak fluid that cause a swelling in the eye. This may lead to blurred vision. When diabetic retinopathy becomes worse, the retina will be stretched further from the other parts of the eye and this can result in total blindness. However, with early detection, laser treatments can be used to retard retinopathy.
The risk of getting complications such as heart diseases and strokes are the main concern of diabetics who are overweight, having a family history of heart related problems, smoke, or suffering from high blood pressures. Do check with your doctor if you have these symptoms, and when diagnosed early, these complications can be put under control.
High levels of blood glucose can also damage the kidney. In the advance stage of diabetic nephropathy, a condition which results from damaged blood vessels in the kidney, regular dialysis and kidney transplants are used to treat this condition. In order to avoid these treatments, diabetics are encouraged to go for tests annually. With early diagnosis, your doctor can prescribe medications that can help contain kidney damage.
Nerve damage is perhaps one of the more common risks associated with diabetes. It is vital for people suffering from nerve damage to make sure they do not have open wounds or sores on the legs or feet. This is related to a condition known as diabetic neuropathy which often affects the feet and legs of the diabetics.
Neuropathy is a problem which makes it difficult for the nerves to send messages to the brain and other parts of the body. As a result, the diabetics may not even know they have sores on their legs or feet. This may lead to infections and in serious cases, result in foot amputations.
About the Author: For more information on the complications of diabetes and diabetes treatments please visit http://diabetescare.healthorfitness.com, a site that provides useful resources and information on Diabetes.
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