Complications of type 2 diabetes explained
Type 2 diabetes is by far the more common type of diabetes. Ironically it is also far more preventable than type 1, which is due to pancreatic failure. The complications of type 2 diabetes are not pleasant and it makes one wonder why people expose themselves to the inconvenience of this disease when it is possible to prevent it or reverse it. The answer is possible genetic susceptibility, but mainly lack of information.
In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas still produces insulin, but the body can’t effectively make use of it. This is because the cells have become unresponsive to the insulin and therefore are unable to use the glucose which is available in the bloodstream effectively. This then leads to high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, which will eventually result in the complications of diabetes if not treated promptly.
What causes this situation to develop is almost certainly inactivity and overweight. Those with type 2, or in a state of pre-diabetes, should be able to dramatically improve their health simply by following the correct diet for diabetes or doing more exercise, preferably both.
When can we develop the complications of type 2 diabetes?
Complications of diabetes can occur when the disease is not diagnosed early enough or is not treated properly. Visit your GP at the first sign of any symptoms of diabetes so that treatment can be started. Even if you decide to treat yourself by diet and exercise, you still need an accurate diagnosis and to follow the guidelines of your GP at the start.
The main complications of diabetes are damage to the blood vessels which include atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arterial blood vessels) and hypertension (high blood pressure). These in turn go on to cause a myriad of disorders other parts of the body that are fed by the blood vessels. Coronary artery disease, angina and stroke occur far more often in diabetics due to the high sugar load in the bloodstream.
The limbs, more especially the legs can also suffer from complications of diabetes as well, due to too much sugar damaging the small blood vessels called capillaries, that feed the nerves in the arms or legs causing nerve damage. This is a diabetic complication called neuropathy, the symptoms of which are pain, numbness or a burning sensation. If this is not treated straight away, limbs could lose all sensation and amputation is the worst case scenario.
The organs are also at risk. The complications of diabetes affecting the organs could be renal failure, heart attack, as already mentioned and even an eye disease called diabetic retinopathy, due to damage of the tiny blood vessels in the retina. These diabetic complications would require dialysis or even transplant for the kidney failure and the eye damage could lead to blindness.
There are several other complications of type 2 diabetes which include wounds not healing, digestive problems, erectile dysfunction in males, skin disorders and even dementia. These are all serious diabetic complications to consider if you fall into the risk profile for this disease.
This article has probably been depressing and difficult to read, however the good news is that all this can be avoided by taking control of your health by eating a healthy diet, exercising and getting yourself checked out by your doctor on a regular basis. Avoiding the complications of type 2 diabetes is possible and should be the main focus of the diabetic.
