During digestion, you end up with sugar in your bloodstream. At that stage, your body requires help transporting the sugar or glucose in the bloodstream into the cells. The insulin hormone, which comes from the pancreas, ushers glucose into the body’s cells. Therefore, El Centro diabetes occurs when the cells cannot intake glucose or sugar for storage and energy production for organs and tissues to work accordingly. As a result, your bloodstream has an unhealthy accumulation of glucose. You can also have diabetes when your pancreas produces no or insufficient insulin.

If you are one of the more than 32 million people with diabetes in America, you are at high risk of acute and chronic complications. The presence of excessive levels of glucose in your bloodstream exposes your organs and tissues to constant destruction. Consequently, below are some health issues that may arise.

Diabetic retinopathy

It results from the destruction of blood vessels in the tissue of your retina due to high blood glucose levels. The eye problem may lead to you being blind if there is no early diagnosis and treatment. But, it often takes many years before a diabetic-related eye problem threatens your sight.

Diabetic foot

If there is no control or poor control of diabetes, you have a high risk of diabetic foot. The issue emanates from the high blood sugar destroying the nerves and blood vessels running across your feet. Nerve damage in your feet can make you feel numb and have a tingling sensation.

When you lose your ability to feel pain, you may not immediately know that you have an open sore on your foot, which can attract an infection. And since your foot has impaired blood vessels, there is no adequate flow of your blood vital for healing.

If an ulcer attacks your foot, you may need to undergo amputation.

Diabetic kidney disease

It is often a complication of type 1 and 2 diabetes. Your kidney has millions of nephrons, which are filtering units. Nephrons filter your blood to ensure it has only the needed substances and removes wastes. But, by the time you have type one or type two diabetes, the kidney’s blood vessels and nephrons no longer function at their maximum capacity due to damage.

As a result, you will have diabetic nephropathy.

How Can Diabetes Affect Your Body?

Oral issues

Since the sugar level in your bloodstream is high, it is also high in saliva. The presence of excess blood sugar in your saliva promotes an attack by bacteria and the accumulation of plaque. The bacteria causing plaque build-up eat sugar for survival. Additionally, the oral environment is acidic.

Therefore, you have a high possibility of dealing with various dental problems, including infection of gums and teeth and cavities.

Sexual issues

If you are a woman or a man, damaging vessels and nerves in your body restrict the blood volume reaching your reproductive organs.

Therefore, you can lose your sexual arousal or sensation.

Cardiovascular issues

You may suffer a heart attack, chest pain, stroke, and atherosclerosis since the nerves and vessels that deliver blood to your circulatory system are damaged.

Contact Prabhdeep Singh, MD, FACP, today for diabetes diagnosis and management so that you can avoid related complications.