If you have diabetes, you’ve probably heard over and over again how important it is to control your blood sugars. 

But have you ever wondered why?

Or maybe you’ve asked your doctor, but you ran out of time to discuss it during your last visit. 

No matter if you have type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes, uncontrolled blood sugars can damage important parts of the body. Damage can occur to your eyes, kidneys, blood vessels, nerves, and feet. 

This damage occurs because of excess amounts of sugar, or glucose, that’s in the bloodstream. You’ll remember from my last blog that diabetes results in decreased or no production of insulin in the body. Glucose gets stuck in the bloodstream because there’s no insulin available to “open the door” for the glucose to enter the cells of the body.

When there are high amounts of glucose in the bloodstream, it damages everything in its path.

I know it sounds dramatic, but it’s true. Many people with diabetes develop irreversible damage from high blood sugar levels. This is why so many routine exams, tests, and bloodwork are conducted: the damage is preventable, but not reversible.

How Uncontrolled Diabetes Harms the Body

Chronically elevated blood sugars damage the blood vessels within the body, and the smaller the blood vessels are, the more damage that occurs. The blood vessels in the eyes, kidneys, and toes are quite small and often the first to get damaged. This damage can cause many different health problems that range from damage to blood vessels and nerves to heart disease.

Eye Damage

People with diabetes can also suffer damage to the small blood vessels in their eyes. This causes a condition called diabetic retinopathy, which means damage to the retina in the eye caused by diabetes. The retina is an important part of the eye that’s responsible for vision. Damage to this part of the eye can result in blindness.

Kidney Damage

Damage can also occur to the small blood vessels within the kidneys, and this can lead to kidney failure. Once kidney damage starts, it typically progresses until urine is no longer being made and dialysis is needed. 

Heart Disease

People with diabetes are also at an increased risk of having plaque build-up in the blood vessels in the heart and brain, which can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. 

Poor Wound Healing

Uncontrolled sugars can also continue to damage larger blood vessels, which then decreases blood flow to areas further from the heart like the lower legs and feet. If someone with diabetes gets a cut or a wound on their foot, their body is going to have a harder time healing the wound due to poor blood flow. 

Nerve Damage

If uncontrolled blood sugars damage nerve endings, it most commonly affects the lower legs and feet. This is a condition called diabetic neuropathy, and it can result in numbness, tingling, and burning pain in the affected areas. For this reason, those with diabetes may develop a wound or a blister without realizing it because they have decreased sensation to the area. 

Foot Ulcers and Bone Infections

When decreased sensation is paired with poor blood flow, the development and progression of foot ulcers, skin infections, and bone infections (osteomyelitis) is likely. If not treated quickly, these complications can often require amputations of toes, feet, and even entire legs.

The effects of uncontrolled diabetes are seen throughout the entire body. That’s why even though preventative care for diabetes can seem time-consuming and redundant, it’s so important. 

How to Prevent the Complications of High Blood Sugar in Diabetes

If you have already been diagnosed with diabetes, there are several preventative measures and screenings you need to do regularly to avoid the long term complications of diabetes. These screenings and tests include:

• Blood tests

• Urine tests

• Eye exams

• Foot exams

• Appointments with your diabetes doctor

• Appointments with your primary care provider

Preventing the complications of diabetes from starting in the first place comes down to one thing: controlling blood sugars. But by completing routine preventative care, the bodily damage from diabetes can be detected early. This allows you and your healthcare provider to make changes to your treatment plan to keep the damage from getting worse. 

Blood Tests Needed To Prevent Diabetes Complications

Your kidney function should be checked on either a comprehensive metabolic panel or a basic metabolic panel at least every 6 months. Depending on how well-controlled your blood sugar is, Hemoglobin A1c should be checked every 3-6 months. 

Your cholesterol and triglycerides should be checked on a lipid panel every 6 months. Depending on your age and the results of your lipid panel, you may benefit from a statin medication to both reduce cholesterol and the risk of having a heart attack and stroke.

Urine Tests To Check For Kidney Damage and Kidney Disease

Urine microalbumin testing looks for the presence of protein in your urine. This can be a sign of kidney damage. The frequency of this test can vary based on the health of your kidneys, but it’s typically checked every 6-12 months.

Prevent These Complications of Diabetes by Getting Routine Eye Exams

When you have diabetes, you need a different type of eye exam to screen for retinopathy, which is damage to the retina in the eye. Over time, this can cause loss of vision and blindness. This type of eye exam should be done every 12 months by your eye doctor.

Diabetic Foot Exams Can Help Identify These Warning Signs

You should be examining your feet daily for any wounds or sores that may be developing. In addition to this, you should also be seeing a podiatrist (foot doctor) every year. During your appointment, they’ll conduct a thorough exam of your feet. They’ll check for sores on your feet while also assessing for any early signs of nerve damage and decreased blood flow to your feet.

Exams With Your Diabetes Provider 

It’s important to see your endocrinologist or your primary care provider, whoever manages your diabetes, at least every 6-12 months so that your blood sugar can stay controlled. If your sugar is uncontrolled or if you are newly diagnosed, you may need to have appointments as often as every 8 weeks until your sugars improve. 

Exams With Your Primary Care Provider 

Even if your primary care provider doesn’t manage your diabetes, it’s still important to see them frequently to manage any conditions that are often seen with diabetes like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. When blood pressure and cholesterol is properly managed, there is a lower risk of heart attack and stroke. You should be seeing them in the office at least every 6-12 months.

Do You Have Diabetes? Here's How to Get Back on Track

Diabetes is a common, yet dangerous, disease that can result in permanent damage to the body. Fortunately, if blood sugars are well-controlled, the complications of diabetes can be less severe and even preventable in some people. 

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your diabetes, or if you’re behind on your preventative care, don’t worry. Make an appointment today with your primary care provider or diabetes doctor to get back on the right path. 

To get more up-to-date, evidence-based information about health and wellness, make sure to check out some of my other articles.

Stay informed, stay healthy.

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