How diabetes affects your body from head to toe

If you have diabetes, you know the drill. You check your glucose level. You take your meds. You eat the right foods.

But over time, too much sugar in your blood can still do damage. Your eyes, teeth, and feet are some of the most common trouble spots.

Diabetes can even affect your mental health. People with diabetes are two to three times more likely than people without diabetes to have depression.

Other complications affect people with diabetes, too, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• 69% have high blood pressure
• 44% have high cholesterol
• 39% have chronic kidney disease

That’s why taking charge of diabetes is so important. Here’s what you need to know about how diabetes affects your whole body and what you can do to stay strong.

Diabetes and your eyes

Diabetes-related eye conditions are the leading cause of vision loss and blindness among working adults, says the CDC. People with diabetes face some common vision problems:

Diabetic retinopathy. High blood sugar levels cause tiny blood vessels in your eyes to weaken and leak. Sometimes abnormal new blood vessels grow on the retina. That eventually chips away at healthy vision.

Lifestyle changes and medications are the first treatments to try.

Later, you might need injections. Or you might need surgery to stop some of the blood vessels from leaking or to shrink them and prevent them from growing again.

Cataracts. Cataracts make the lens of your eye cloudy. Your vision will become fuzzy or blurry. Cataracts are more common in people with diabetes because high blood sugar levels can cause your lens to swell.

The fix might be as simple as getting new eyeglasses. Or you may need cataract surgery. During this 10-minute procedure, the doctor replaces your cloudy lens with a clear one.

Glaucoma. Healthy eyes make a clear fluid that drains continuously. With glaucoma, the eye’s drainage system may become clogged and not drain fluid as well as it should.

Extra fluid puts pressure on the eye. That can damage the optic nerve that carries signals from your eye to your brain.

Glaucoma is twice as likely to occur in people with diabetes. It can cause serious vision problems, including blindness.

Your treatment may start with medications, usually eye drops. Laser treatment and surgery may also be needed. Treatment won’t undo the damage, but it can stop your vision from getting worse.

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Diabetes and your heart health

Diabetes and heart disease are closely tied. In fact, having diabetes doubles your risk of heart disease, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

That’s because high blood sugar can harm the nerves and blood vessels that control your heart. People with diabetes are also more likely to have other risk factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

The good news is that many of the lifestyle steps you take to keep your blood sugar in line — like eating healthy foods and getting regular exercise — can also help protect your heart health. (P.S. Are you worried that you might be at risk of developing diabetes? Check out the HMSA Diabetes Prevention Program for more helpful tips.)

The symptoms of heart disease are often nonexistent, which means you might not notice anything’s wrong until a serious problem comes up.

The best things you can do to help your heart are:

• Keep up with regular checkups.
• Follow your diabetes care plan.
• Ask your doctor to check your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
• Get the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week.
• Eat a balanced diet.

Diabetes and your mental health

People with diabetes are 20% more likely than those without diabetes to have anxiety at some point in their lives.

And it’s no wonder. Managing diabetes is stressful. The everyday hassles of testing, taking medications, and following a special diet are a lot for anyone.

Watch for these symptoms of anxiety:

• Difficulty concentrating
• Muscle tension
• Problems with sleep
• Persistent fatigue
• Restlessness or irritability

Anxiety symptoms can mimic blood sugar problems. Tell your doctor about all your symptoms. They’ll ask you questions to help find the problem.

If you’re diagnosed with anxiety, rest assured that you have treatment options. Your doctor may suggest cognitive behavioral therapy, medication, or a combination of the two. Joining a support group can help, too.

Diabetes and your teeth

Taking good care of your teeth is even more important when you have diabetes.

Why? High blood sugar can weaken your white blood cells. And that’s your body’s first line of defense against infections in your mouth, according to the CDC.

Plus, extra sugar in your blood shows up in your saliva. That sugar feeds the bacteria that cause tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease.

Diabetes can make gum disease more severe. It can take longer to heal and make your diabetes harder to manage. Look out for:

• Less saliva, which can cause dry mouth
• Inflamed or bleeding gums
• Mouth infections that take longer to heal

And call your dentist if you have:

• Red, swollen, or bleeding gums
• Dry mouth
• Loose teeth
• Mouth pain

Keep your smile beautiful and prevent problems with these simple tips:

• Visit your dentist regularly for X-rays, cleanings, and checkups.
• Tell your dentist you have diabetes.
• Brush your teeth at least twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and floss once a day.
• Stop smoking.

Diabetes and your feet

About half of all people with diabetes have nerve damage, according to the CDC. It’s called diabetic neuropathy.

It can cause pain and tingling in your feet and even make you lose feeling. You may not notice a pebble in your shoe or a blister on your toe. If that goes on too long, you can end up with infected sores on your feet.

Diabetes can decrease blood flow to your feet. That means if you have an infection in your foot, it may take longer to heal or it may not heal at all.

Serious foot problems happen to only about 6% of people with diabetes. And it can be prevented.

Try these simple tips:

• Control your blood glucose levels. That will help prevent damage to your nerves and blood vessels.
• Follow your diabetes treatment plan as closely as you can.
• Check your feet daily for cuts, sores, blisters, or swelling.
• Wash your feet daily with warm, soapy water. Dry them off carefully, even between your toes.
• Keep your feet soft with lotion. Don’t moisturize between your toes.
• Protect your feet with shoes that fit well. Never go barefoot, even inside the house.
• Visit your podiatrist (foot doctor) at least once a year.

Diabetes and your kidneys

Diabetes and kidney troubles are closely connected. About 25% of people with diabetes also have kidney disease, according to the NIH. And most kidney disease is caused by diabetes.

That’s because high blood sugar can damage the blood vessels in your kidneys. The condition is known as diabetic nephropathy.

If you have high blood sugar and high blood pressure, you’re more likely to have kidney issues. Untreated diabetic kidney disease can cause kidneys to stop working properly.

Fortunately, the condition is treatable. Medication and healthy eating habits can help put the brakes on kidney disease. Early testing is key, since you may have no symptoms. Testing can help your doctor diagnose a problem, choose the right medications, monitor your progress, and suggest changes if treatment isn’t working.

Additional sources:
Diabetes facts and stats: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Vision loss statistic: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Long-term complication: National Library of Medicine
Diabetes and mental health: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Diabetes, heart health, and stroke: National Institutes of Health
Diabetes and heart: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Diabetes and oral health: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Diabetes and foot health: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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