Diabetes and secondary diseases: Nine areas of the body are often affected

: Increased blood sugar levels can damage small blood vessels in the retina.

This diabetes complication is also called diabetic retinopathy and often only becomes noticeable late.

Typical symptoms include blurred vision, a haze in front of the eyes or problems with color vision.

In the worst case, the condition can lead to blindness.

: Diabetes also increases the risk of arteriosclerosis.

In this disorder, deposits form in the inner walls of the blood vessels, which can cause them to narrow or even close completely.

Because the affected organs no longer receive enough oxygen, this can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

: Those suffering from diabetes can often develop problems with their dental and oral health.

Diabetics have a higher risk of periodontitis (inflammation of the periodontium).

As the disease progresses, the teeth lose more and more of their support.

If periodontitis is not treated, the inflammation can continue to spread until teeth eventually fall out.

: Elevated blood sugar levels over a long period of time can damage the small blood vessels that supply blood to the nerves.

This in turn can lead to damage to the nerves and thus to what is known as polyneuropathy.

This is the most common nerve disease in diabetics and primarily affects the nerves in the feet and hands.

Typical complaints include various sensory disorders (e.g. tingling), pain or numbness.

The condition also increases the risk of diabetic foot.

: Mental health can also be affected by diabetes.

Chronic illnesses such as diabetes often place a great burden on patients and therefore increase the risk of depression.

This can create a vicious circle: Depressed diabetics are often less likely to adhere to their treatment.

This can lead to further complications.

: Diabetes can lead to circulatory problems in the legs.

Doctors speak of peripheral arterial disease (PAOD) when the legs no longer receive an adequate blood supply.

Those affected usually suffer from pain when walking, especially at the beginning of the disease.

: Due to poor circulation and damaged nerves, diabetes patients experience pain worse.

This can mean that they no longer notice injuries in certain parts of the body - with the feet being particularly often affected.

At the same time, diabetics have poorer wound healing than other people.

Small cracks or pressure points sometimes develop into larger wounds without being noticed.

In diabetic foot syndrome, the tissue can also become inflamed or even die.

In order to avoid amputation, regular care and treatment of a diabetic foot is essential.

: Elevated blood sugar levels can also cause long-term damage to the blood vessels in the kidneys.

Normally, the kidneys filter waste products from the blood through these blood vessels.

However, with diabetes, the kidneys can no longer function properly and waste products are no longer properly removed from the blood.

In this case, there is so-called renal insufficiency, which can lead to complete kidney failure.

: Since circulatory problems and damage to the nerves can also occur in the sexual organs, this can lead to erectile dysfunction (erectile dysfunction) in men.

Women with diabetes also often experience a loss of libido.

It can also cause pain during sexual intercourse.