People diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes have a high risk of developing various skin conditions as well as disorders of the eyes, nervous system, and kidneys. Researchers at Ataturk Training and Research Hospital in Ankara, Turkey, looked at hundreds of people with skin and other kinds of complications to determine whether skin conditions could be clues to the possibility of other complications.
Check out these related articles, too:
Diabetic Friendly Energy Drinks Don't Make This Common Mistake
Negative And Dangerous Side Effects of Excess Blood Sugar
What is the best diet to reverse diabetes?
7 Reasons Why Smoking is Even More Hazardous for Diabetics
Natural remedy to control sugar levels
How to Avoid High Blood Sugar Symptoms
Their study, reported in the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology in October 2013, included 750 people diagnosed with diabetes. It was found:
- 594 participants, or 79.2 percent, suffered some disorder of the skin.
- 5 per cent had skin infections,
- 4 percent had abnormal dryness of the skin, and
- 7 percent had a diagnosis of an inflammatory skin condition.
1. Skin infections, fungal infections, overgrown blood vessels in the face, and deep red skin discoloration were seen more often in the participants who had kidney disease than in those without.
2. Those with skin infections, diabetic foot problems, overgrown facial blood vessels, and other skin conditions related to diabetes were more common in those with neuropathy than in those without.
3. Fungal infections, diabetic foot problems, overgrown facial blood vessels, reddish discoloration of the skin, and other skin conditions associated with diabetes were frequent in the participants with eye disease related to diabetes.
4. Diabetics with HbA1c levels of at least 144 mg/dL (8 mmol/mL), were more likely to have skin disorders than those with HbA1c levels below 8 mmol/mL.
From this information it was concluded skin disorders could be clues to the possibility of other complications of diabetes.
Skin discoloration, pain, burning, stinging, itching, or scaling should be examined by your family doctor. If a skin condition associated with Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed, then testing for more serious complications of the condition could be in order...
- Diabetic retinopathy is diagnosed in the doctor's office with a hand-held device called an ophthalmoscope. The instrument helps the doctor to see the back of the eye where the retinal vessels are located. If the vessels are abnormal a trip to the ophthalmologist's office and an examination with a slit lamp can yield a more definitive diagnosis. Laser surgery is often performed, along with measures to control blood sugar.
- Diabetic neuropathy, a nervous system disorder, can be diagnosed with the use of a fiber. The skin is delicately touched with the fiber to ascertain whether normal sensation is present, usually in the feet. Exercise and medication to improve blood flow to the feet are often recommended.
- Diabetic nephropathy is diagnosed by analysis of a urine specimen and blood specimen. Certain oral diabetes medications are thought to be helpful to prevent the kidneys from continuing to decline when diabetic nephropathy is diagnosed.
Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. By making easy changes to your daily routine, its possible to protect your heart, kidneys, eyes and limbs from the damage often caused by diabetes, and eliminate some of the complications you may already experience. If you have skin problems they may be a clue to deeper health issues.
For nearly 25 years Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body. Go to http://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about some of those secrets.
The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8094447