5 Ways Diabetes Can Affect Your Health

From the moment you receive a diabetes diagnosis, your health can go in a different direction. Diabetes places you at risk for some serious and life-altering health complications that can, literally, affect you from head to toe.

As a consequence, a new normal presents itself for the more than 38 million Americans who have diabetes. Vigilance and management are key.

Since November is National Diabetes Month, Dr. Scott Lafferty and the team here at Lafferty Family Care want to focus on this all-encompassing and chronic condition. As primary care providers who help patients navigate the complex world of diabetes, we want you to know the risks so you understand the importance of expert oversight.

1. Nerve damage and diabetes

One of the most common side effects of diabetes is peripheral neuropathy, or nerve damage, which affects at least half of people with the disease. This nerve damage often occurs in your lower legs and feet, though it can also develop in your arms and hands.

The driver behind the nerve damage is high glucose levels in your blood, which can damage the blood vessels that nourish your peripheral nerves.

This nerve damage can lead to tingling, numbness, weakness, and pain. It can also set you up for much larger problems, including diabetic foot ulcers that can become infected.

2. Kidney damage

Diabetes is strongly linked to kidney problems, as the disease can damage the sensitive blood vessels that service these organs. Over time, people with uncontrolled diabetes can face kidney failure.

3. Cardiovascular disease

High glucose levels in your blood can wreak havoc on your blood vessels and the nerves that oversee cardiovascular function. This explains why people with diabetes are almost twice as likely to develop heart disease and stroke than people who don’t have the disease.

4. Vision loss

High levels of blood sugar can also damage delicate blood vessels in your eyes. Called diabetic retinopathy, it’s the leading driver of vision loss among people with diabetes.

5. Gum disease

Gum disease is one of the leading causes of tooth loss, and diabetes can increase your risk for periodontitis, thanks to high glucose. In fact, nearly a quarter of American adults with diabetes aged 50 and older have severe tooth loss.

Managing diabetes for better health outcomes

While the list we outlined above might seem daunting, in many cases, the solution is simple: vigilant diabetes management to prevent these complications.

Certain lifestyle changes will help you stay one step ahead of diabetes health complications. They mainly include improving your nutrition and getting more exercise.

Our team at Lafferty Family Care can also monitor your health closely, beginning with glucose testing and insulin therapies to manage your blood sugar levels.

We’re happy to sit down with you to come up with a personalized plan for managing your diabetes so you can avoid some of the outcomes we list above. To get started, schedule an appointment at our office in Rogers, Arkansas, at your earliest convenience.