As a “silent killer”, the complications caused by diabetes are relatively hidden, and quietly harm the whole body, often not discovered until it is too late. Liu Zelong, deputy chief physician of the Department of Endocrinology at Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, said that high blood sugar levels in the human body for a long time will harm all blood vessels in the body and cause lesions. It is estimated that if people suffer from diabetes for 5 to 10 years without proper treatment, chronic complications will develop in each organ and the treatment effect will be reduced. Therefore, we should pay attention to the following signals in life to improve the awareness of disease prevention.
Itchy and numb skin
Short-term rise in blood sugar will cause the decline of white blood cell function in the body, weak resistance, easy to occur infections, such as urinary tract infection, vaginitis, etc., may appear vulvar pruritus symptoms; If the diabetes disease has been going on for a long time, there may be insects crawling or itching and numbness similar to electric currents at the ends of limbs such as toes, fingers and soles. At this time, peripheral neuropathy caused by diabetes should be vigilant.
acuity
High blood sugar can damage tiny blood vessels in the retina, causing leaks or bleeding. The retina then compensates for the growth of abnormal new blood vessels, which are more likely to leak or bleed, leading to vision loss and even blindness in sugar friends. At present, diabetic retinopathy has become one of the most important blind diseases in people over 50 years old. Liu recommends that patients with type 2 diabetes undergo comprehensive fundus screening when they are first diagnosed, and then review at least once a year depending on their condition.
Palpitation, dizziness
In the early stage of the disease, delayed insulin secretion in sugar friends may lead to hypoglycemia, manifested by palpitation, shaking hands, dizziness, cold sweat and other symptoms, which can be relieved by sugar supplementation. For the sugar friends who have been sick for a long time, the sugar in the blood constantly damages the blood vessels, and with the blood circulation cycle, leading to blood vessel stenosis and blockage throughout the body, and then cause coronary heart disease, stroke, cerebral hemorrhage and other cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, these diseases will also appear in the early stage of panic, dizziness, nausea and other symptoms.
Weight loss
“Falling off the scale” is one of the typical manifestations of type 2 diabetes. This is because sugar friends body blood sugar is too high, urine, water loss after weight reduction; Due to the poor function of the sugar islets, the breakdown of glucose occurs, and the body can only break down fats and proteins, leading to weight loss. Liu reminded that sugar friends normal body mass index (BMI) should be maintained in 18.5 ~ 24, if found in a short time of rapid weight loss, there is the possibility of other diseases, should go to the hospital for relevant examinations.
Facial edema
Under normal circumstances, the kidneys act as a “filter” to retain proteins in the body and expel harmful substances through the urine. But when the blood vessels in the kidney change, the sieve becomes larger, and useful proteins are missed in the body, in the form of increased protein in the urine. After the reduction of albumin in the body, the water stored in the blood vessels will “run” to the subcutaneous tissue, therefore, the sugar friends of kidney damage will mostly appear eyelid, facial edema, especially obvious when getting up in the morning.
Frequent hypoglycemia
Compared with hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia is often more dangerous, causing consciousness disorder and coma in a short time. Liu suggested that we must pay attention to the causes of hypoglycemia, such as the occurrence of hypoglycemia after regular medication, should inform the doctor to adjust the dosage and type of drugs in time. “People should not be superstitious about the effects of diabetes care products. Some sugar friends listen to the advertisements of health products that overstate the effect of hypoglycemia and secretly replace hypoglycemic drugs with health products, which often lead to hypoglycemia at night, which is extremely harmful to health. It is recommended that sugar friends take health products under the guidance of doctors and seek medical attention in time if hypoglycemia occurs.” Liu Zelong said.
Smell of rotten apples on your breath
In the process of breaking down fat for energy, a large number of ketone bodies may be produced and accumulate in the body, causing symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, confusion, and exhaled breath with the smell of rotten apples, which is typical of diabetic ketosis, the most common acute complication of diabetes. It is commonly seen in type 1 sugar friends with poor islet function or type 2 sugar friends with severe infection and discontinuation of medication. “The most important thing is to accurately identify and seek medical attention as soon as possible,” Liu said. “Most patients with diabetic ketosis can be cured after timely diagnosis and treatment.”
