Diabetes is a disease in which levels of blood glucose, also called blood sugar are above normal.
People with diabetes have problems converting food to energy.
Normally, after a meal, the body breaks food down into glucose, which the body carries to the cells throughout the body.
Cells use insulin, an hormone made in the pancreas, to help them convert blood glucose into energy.
People develop diabetes because the pancreas does not make enough insulin or because the cells in the muscles, liver and fat do not use insulin properly or both.
As a result, the amount of glucose in the blood increases while the cells are starved of energy.
Over the years, high blood sugar, also called hyperglycaemia, damages nerves and blood vessels, which lead to various complications.
Are you suspecting that you are diabetic? Then these are the symptoms and complications you are to watch out for.
Symptoms of diabetes mellitus: -Polyuria {excessive urination} -Polydipsia {excessive thirst} -Increased body weakness -Ants around urine or sweet tasting urine -Itching especially around the genitals and the vagina -Pain in the legs, numbness, burning feet, paraesthesia {abnormal sensations} -Slowly healing or non healing ulcer -Erectile dysfunction in men.
-Reduced libido in men Complications of diabetes mellitus Diabetes is a chronic life long disease requiring close and careful management with monitoring to prevent the onset of either or both acute and chronic complications of diabetes.
Acute complications -Hypoglycaemia which means low blood sugar levels, this may be due to overuse of anti-diabetic drugs like the sulfonyureas, or it may be as a side effect of insulin therapy.
-Hyperglycaemia leading to diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar non ketotic coma and lactic acidosis -Infections, fungal and bacterial infections like candidiasis, recurrent boils etc Chronic complications These are divided into microvascular {affecting small blood vessels } and macrovascular {affecting big blood vessels} complications Microvascular complications -Retinopathy, affecting the innermost layer of the eye called the retina leading ultimately to blindness.
-Nephropathy, affecting the kidneys eventually leading to kidney failure -Neuropathy, affecting the nerves especially at the periphery of the body leading to burning sensation in the feet, loss of sensation in the feet, erectile dysfunction in men, bladder dysfunction leading to inability to control urination.
Macrovascular complications -Stroke also known as cerebrovascular disease in medical terminology -Heart diseases like heart attack known as coronary heart disease -Diabetic foot syndrome which is characterised by the development of a long standing non healing ulcer of the foot which eventually leads to the amputation of the foot.
Once you notice these symptoms or complications you should visit your physician for testing and confirmation after which treatment will be commenced.
If you are diabetic you can prevent the appearance of these complications by strict control of your blood sugar levels.
The better controlled your blood glucose is, the less likely you are to develop complications.
So you must know how to control your blood sugar.