Complications That Can Be Prevented Through Diabetes Management Program Chicago IL Is Offering

Aside from high blood pressure, there is another health problem that is touted as the silent killer, and that's diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that it is the seventh leading killer in the US. What's scary about it is there are so many complications that can strike if it's left uncontrolled. With the help of an effective diabetes management program Chicago IL offers, a lot of problems that can stem from the disease can be kept at bay. Keep on reading to know some of those serious complications that can be prevented from happening.

Nerve damage. Sometimes referred to as neuropathy, nerve damage is said to affect more than 50 percent of all diabetic individuals. Usually, symptoms such a numbness, pain and tingling sensations can be felt in the arms and feet. Poor blood circulation and severe infections can happen in extreme cases of nerve damage, and they oftentimes result amputations of the affected limbs.

Kidney failure. Your kidneys are the ones responsible for ridding the blood of waste materials and poisonous substances. If you have high levels of sugar in the blood, your kidneys can become overtaxed. It won't take long before they are no longer able to carry out their tasks properly. You don't want that to happen because it usually entails dialysis thrice a week.

High blood pressure. According to experts, 1 in 3 diabetic individuals also suffer from high blood pressure. That's because the risk factors for it are similar to those of diabetes. Some of them include being obese, unhealthy eating and having a sedentary lifestyle. Experts say that high blood pressure and diabetes can make one another worse. There is no denying that the combination of the two can lead to very serious problems.

Cardiovascular disease. Your blood vessels as well as the heart itself can become damaged by uncontrolled high sugar levels. It's for this reason why you may eventually suffer from cardiovascular disease. Your risk of it is significantly increased if you have high cholesterol and also hypertension.

Sleep apnea. Since a lot of diabetic people are overweight as well, they are likely to be afflicted with sleep apnea. It is a type of sleep disorder that results in the cessation of breathing many times while the person is asleep. Such deprives the brain of much needed oxygen, causing fatigue and lethargy to be experienced the next day. According to experts, sleep apnea has to be dealt with as it can put the person at risk of stroke and heart attack.

Vision problems. Uncontrolled levels of sugar in the blood can damage the blood vessels nourishing the retina. In time, the diabetic individual may develop what's known as diabetic retinopathy. Its symptoms include blurring of vision and trouble seeing at night. Eventually, it's something that may lead to vision loss.

In order to fend off these scary complications, it's important for the diabetic individual to have regular checkups. He or she should strictly abide by the recommended dietary and lifestyle changes by a doctor. The truth is a diabetic individual can live a long and happy life without complications if he or she will learn how to effectively control the disease.