The diagnosis of diabetes is not a sentence for a sick person. Medicine is constantly evolving. Therefore, every year, scientists find new effective solutions that can significantly improve the quality of life of people suffering from diabetes. However, the development of the disease in the long term is accompanied by a host of troubles.
Why is diabetes dangerous? What is the essence of the disease? What are the causes and symptoms of the disease? What are the likely complications and consequences of diabetes? Answers to these and other questions are provided in our publication.
Types of diabetes
Diabetes mellitus is an ailment that is usually divided into several types. A variant of the disease of an insulin-dependent nature is expressed by specific clinical signs and is characterized by clearly expressed symptoms.
What is the danger of type 2 diabetes? An insulin-independent pathology develops almost imperceptibly. Detection of the disease occurs by chance during other examinations.
Be that as it may, both versions of the disease are characterized by the formation of an atypically high volume of urine during the day, which is the main alarm signal. A person needs to start to worry if there is constant hunger, severe weight loss. All this indicates the development of one type or another of diabetes.
Causes of the disease
According to the observations of doctors, an insulin-dependent illness is the result of impaired metabolism, in particular, interruptions in the metabolism of carbohydrates due to inhibition of pancreatic functions. The patient has a critical increase in glucose in the blood, and sometimes in the structure of urine. Insulin-dependent diabetes can have both rapid progress and manifest itself extremely slowly. It all depends on the individual characteristics of the body of each person, lifestyle, other factors.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus occurs due to poor heredity. An illness manifests itself even in children and adolescents. Symptoms of the disease do not always occur, especially when it comes to the effect of a genetic factor.
First signs
To find out if the prerequisites for the development of diabetes mellitus really exist, doctors advise to focus on a special scheme. It is recommended that you go to the clinic for diagnosis if you have the following symptoms:
- Unquenchable thirst all day, which does not allow you to completely get drunk.
- You have to feel discomfort due to regular urination.
- Often there is drowsiness, general tiredness.
- Traces resembling starch in appearance remain on the underwear.
- Sight drops sharply, objects seem vague, objects as if in a fog.
- The appearance of acne, which is difficult to get rid of, is noted.
- There is a sensation of tingling and numbness in the upper and lower extremities, the effect of "running goose bumps" is felt on the skin.
- Scratches, cuts and wounds heal extremely slowly.
- Within a few months, body weight decreases by 3-5 kg in conditions of high-quality, plentiful nutrition and without any regular physical exertion.
- High-calorie foods no longer saturate the body, hunger is constantly felt.
We found out the prerequisites for the development of the disease and characteristic symptoms. Now let's move on to addressing directly the question of what is the danger of diabetes.
The mechanism of complications of the disease
Glucose is an indispensable substance for the human body. However, in case of an excess of substance in the tissues and body fluids, its toxic effect is observed. There is a dangerous effect of increased glucose toxicity. The transformation of the substance into poison has a detrimental effect on the vascular walls, which become less elastic and undergo systematic destruction.
Excessive glucose in the body negatively affects the state of blood vessels of various calibers. The greatest harm is done to the smallest capillaries, which penetrate the tissues of absolutely all organs and systems, ensuring the transport of oxygen and nutrients to every living cell.
The target is the nerve endings. As a result of the pathology, not only the limbs, but also the internal organs, in particular, the brain, suffer. Due to disturbances in the nervous system, there is practically no place where no complications arise. An increased level of glucose in the blood leads to the destruction of the nerve membranes - the so-called myelin structures. It is these tissues that are responsible for the high transmission rate of pulses. The brain can no longer give commands to the authorities with the same quality and receives a slower response back.
However, an adverse situation is created not only by an excessive concentration of glucose in body tissues. Pathological reactions are manifested as a result of an excess of insulin in the blood. The phenomenon known by the definition of hyperinsulism leads to the following troubles:
- Unreasonable weight gain.
- Strengthening the synthesis of fatty acids, which provokes the progressive development of atherosclerosis.
- Accelerated cell division, as a result of which there is a thickening of the membrane structures of blood vessels, the occurrence of a high probability of strokes and myocardial infarction.
- Lipogenesis is activated - accumulation of fat deposits in the liver and kidneys.
To prevent the launch of such mechanisms, the main task for a sick person is the use of solutions aimed at normalizing blood glucose and insulin levels, as well as reducing the lipid spectrum. For these purposes, special testers should be used daily, which analyze the concentration of hazardous substances in body fluids. A person suffering from diabetes must strictly follow the doctor’s recommendations and undergo regular examinations in a clinical setting.
Eye complications
Is diabetes dangerous for the eyes? The rapid progress of the disease often causes diabetic retinopathy. We are talking about destructive processes in the retina. It is easy to guess that a complication leads to a decrease in the quality of vision and can lead to its complete loss.
What is more dangerous diabetes? A progressive increase in blood sugar levels can trigger the development of:
- Cataracts
- Glaucoma
- Loss of clarity of vision.
To reduce the risk of the above problems, patients are recommended to regularly appear at an appointment with an optometrist. At the same time, you need to monitor the sugar levels and strictly follow the advice of your doctor, which will help to avoid such troubles.
Inhibition of kidney function
Is diabetes mellitus dangerous for the kidneys? One of the sides of the pathology is vascular damage. Not bypassing the problem and the kidneys. It is for this reason that it is difficult for the body to cope with the filtration of the structure of urine, and remove harmful toxins from the body. The most effective weapon for preventing pathology is the early diagnosis of diabetes.
Nervous system
What is diabetes dangerous for the nervous system? There is a serious risk of developing polyneuropathy. The pathological condition is accompanied by damage to the smallest vessels that supply the nerves with oxygen and useful substances through the blood. Trouble can affect any part of the body. As practice shows, the older a person with diabetes, the higher the likelihood of negative reactions from the nervous system.
Is diabetes dangerous for nerves in the early stages? At the beginning, one or more troubles can be observed:
- The state of inhibition of thinking.
- Periodic sensation of tinnitus.
- Unreasonable weakness of the body.
- Partial dysfunction of an erection in men, due to weak conduction of nerve impulses.
If diabetes is not treated, then in the future, the totality of these problems will let you know. To prevent such disturbances from the nervous system, it is important to seek the help of a neurologist.
Lower limbs
Why is type 2 diabetes dangerous? Due to the rapid development of the disease, there may be a deterioration in blood circulation in the legs and feet. The limbs will remain cold even at elevated ambient temperatures. This happens as a result of the gradual death of nerve cells that are not adequately supplied with useful substances.
In diabetes, accidental injuries must be avoided. It is important to notice cuts, blisters, corns, and other damage to local tissues in a timely manner. Ignoring leg injuries will provoke the spread of various infections due to slow healing. In the most difficult situations, it is not without amputation of individual parts of the lower extremities.
Bone structures
Insulin is important for the formation of the skeleton. Deficiency of the substance leads to a deterioration in the mineralization of local tissues. The bones become thinner, their mass decreases. It becomes difficult for a person to move around, the probability of accidental fractures increases.
What is the danger of type 2 diabetes for bones? Particular troubles in the development of an insulin-dependent form of the disease due to negative heredity arise among children. The skeleton cannot form normally due to a significant deficiency of bone tissue. Having matured, people with pathological genetics are seriously at risk of developing osteoporosis. Usually this happens already at the age of 25-30 years.
Leather
An extremely unpleasant complication of diabetes is dehydration. The consequence is not the best way affects the condition of the skin. Surface fabrics acquire a dried texture. The skin is thinning, resembling rice paper. If the patient ignores the problem, there are all kinds of cracks that become gates into the body for pathogenic microorganisms.
The danger lies in the difficulty of removing wounds on the skin. Often the use of moisturizers does not give any result. During skin treatment, patients have to avoid the use of products that contain alcohol components, salicylic acid, preservatives and flavorings.
What is the danger of diabetes during pregnancy?
A common consequence of diabetes for women when bearing a child is an excessive concentration of fluids that surround the fetus developing in the womb. Against the backdrop of trouble, a rupture of adjacent tissues, an untimely onset of childbirth, bleeding, and the death of the baby are possible.
What is more dangerous diabetes during pregnancy? Due to the increased concentration of sugar in the blood, which negatively affects the immune functions of the body, infections in the genital area and urinary tract are likely.
What diabetes is more dangerous for pregnant women? With type 2 disease, the probability of a hip fracture is added to the above troubles. Especially among women over forty.
In continuation of the topic regarding the danger of diabetes in women, it is worth noting the risk of infertility. Previously, the disease posed an extreme threat to young girls who were planning a pregnancy. Until the 1920s, infertility cases among women with diabetes accounted for almost 95%. Today, thanks to all kinds of insulin preparations, fertilization problems concern about 2% of sick girls. Despite this, serious risks exist for newborns who are at risk of malfunctions in the body.
What is dangerous gestational diabetes?
Gestational is a disease identified immediately after confirmation of pregnancy. The term is also relevant for cases of individual intolerance by the body of products containing glucose. In the second situation, the low sensitivity of body cells to insulin is explained by the high concentration of various kinds of hormones in the blood structure caused by the formation of the fetus. After childbirth, usually everything returns to normal. However, pregnant women should be wary of a rather high likelihood of developing amid the problems of type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
What is dangerous gestational diabetes during pregnancy? Expectant mothers are threatened with visual impairment, inhibition of renal function, impaired blood flow. Often, due to untimely diagnosis of the disease, even during the formation of the fetus, women suffer from general weakness, breathing problems. Low strength and frequency of contractions requires caesarean section.
Conclusion
Patients with diabetes are often interested in doctors, what medicines should be taken for prevention in order to avoid the development of complications and serious consequences? Experts recommend first to undergo a comprehensive examination, which will clarify the individual "comfortable" value of glucose in the blood. If you do not give the presented condition of primary importance, even the most expensive medications can be ineffective.
Serious complications of diabetes occur only if long periods of increased sugar are allowed. It is necessary to adhere to the target value of the substance, which will avoid negative consequences for organs and systems. A reasonable decision to achieve the goal is to exclude the so-called fast carbohydrates from the daily diet and replace such products with less dangerous sugar substitutes.