High Blood Sugar: 8 Serious Complications

If you have diabetes, your blood glucose, or blood sugar, levels are too high. Over time, this can cause problems with other body functions, such as your kidneys, nerves, feet, and eyes. High blood sugar can also put you at a higher risk for heart disease, bone and joint disorders.
Very high or very low blood sugar levels can also lead to emergencies in people with diabetes. The cause can be an underlying infection, certain medicines, or even the medicines you take to control your diabetes. If you feel nauseated, sluggish or shaky, seek emergency care.
Sometimes complications develop even when risk factors such as blood sugar level and blood pressure have been controlled. But following your treatment to control your blood sugar levels is still an important part of your treatment.
High blood sugar can cause a number of complications that can affect nearly every organ in the body. This mostly occurs if not properly controlled. However, the complications of diabetes are far less common and severe in people who have well-controlled blood sugar levels.

Complications of high blood sugar

If you have diabetes, you’re at risk for long-term problems such as;

1. Heart and blood vessel disease

Diabetes has an increase risk of various cardiovascular problems. Heart disease is the major cause of death in people with diabetes. Therefore, it is important to control other risks such as high blood pressure and high fats, as well as blood sugar.

2. Erectile dysfunction

Diabetes increases the chance of developing erectile dysfunction or impotence. For some men, adopting a healthier lifestyle, such as quitting smoking and alcohol, exercising regularly and also reducing stress, may be all that is needed to resolve erectile dysfunction.

3. Nerve damage (Neuropathy)

Excess sugar can injure the walls of the tiny blood vessels that nourish your nerves, especially in the legs. This can cause tingling, numbness, burning or even pain. These usually begins at the tips of the toes or fingers. However, it gradually spreads to other parts. Poorly controlled blood sugar can eventually cause you to have abnormal and also decreased sensation in the affected parts.

4. Kidney damage (Nephropathy)

The kidneys contain millions of tiny blood vessel clusters. They filter waste from your blood. Diabetes can damage this delicate filtering system. Damage to the kidney can lead to issues such as chronic renal failure, eventually requiring renal dialysis.

5. Eye damage

Diabetes can damage the blood vessels of the retina and grow poor-quality new blood vessels. This can potentially leading to blindness. Diabetes also increases the risk of other serious vision conditions, such as cataracts and glaucoma.

6. Infection

High blood glucose leads to high levels of sugar in your body tissues. This slows down your body’s ability to fight infection . Due to this, bacteria grow and infections develop more quickly. Common sites of infection include body parts such as bladder, kidneys, gums, feet, and skin. However, early treatment of infections can prevent more serious complications.

7. Feet

High blood sugars can lead to poor blood flow and nerve damage. This can lead to slow healing of sores. You can experience severe pain, but you can also lose feeling in your feet. In serious cases, this may lead to amputation of your toes, foot, or even your leg.

8. Skin problems

High levels of glucose in the blood provide an excellent breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. Besides that, it can also reduce the body’s ability to heal itself. Fortunately, most skin conditions can be prevented and successfully treated if detected early.