Effects of Diabetes on Older People
Diabetes is a long-term ailment that occurs when the body cannot use any type of sugar. This implies that the people affected by diabetes do not use sugary food since it would affect the functioning of their body parts normally the kidney. The notable symptoms of diabetes are fatigue, frequent urge to urinate, pains in places such as hand, joints, and legs, and blurred vision. The medical practitioners advise that when a person sees such symptoms they should seek medical attention so that they receive early treatment. Despite the fact that diabetes has adverse effects on people of all ages, the old people faces serious effects since their body cells cannot respond well or fight back. Regarding that, diabetes causes several effects on the aged. However, according to the medical experts, most of the effects of diabetes are preventable with proper care of the patient.
This paper analyzes the effects of diabetes on the old people. Additionally, the paper would give a summary on the symptoms of diabetes.
Effects of Diabetes on the Old People
Diabetes is notably one of the serious and dangerous long-term diseases that have led to the death of many people. Notably, diabetes normally has serious effects on the people who suffer from it but the old seem to face adverse effects of the disease since their bodies have low immune to fight back the disease. Diabetes has several effects on the old as discussed below.
Firstly, the rise in blood pressure is one of the significant effects of diabetes on old people. According to (Hawkins, 2010) when diabetes affects the old people, there is normally a link with the rise in the level of cholesterol in the body. Cholesterol is the unused fats that accumulate in the body interfering with the normal flow of blood in the blood vessels. DeKleijn (2008) asserts that this condition is dangerous and common among the old people. As a result, the affected person’s starts to have hard times while breathing and a times the need the help of the clinical devices. Apart from the high blood pressure, this may effect to stroke a condition where a person’s body fails to function and they may collapse and die instantly.
Secondly, diabetes results to a complication known as diabetes retinopathy. Notably, this complication normally affects the old people of the society. The complication affects the eye of the individual who is suffering from diabetes. It is worth noting that similar to other complications, this situation emanates from the advancing age among and several years of a diabetic condition, that is either controlled or uncontrolled. Diabetes is a serious disease that needs proper medication, attention and care from the medical experts. Furthermore, Diabetic retinopathy has a numeral of warning signs. Accordingly, this condition arises from the swelling and leaking of the blood vessels located at the back of the eye or the retina. Retinopathy is also worsened by the rise in blood pressure among old individuals. With the knowledge that diabetic retinopathy is curable, medical experts advise the affected persons to seek medical attentions as soon as they see the symptoms. Retinopathy screening would play an instrumental role in dealing with this condition. It is offered freely on the National Health Societies, annually.
Thirdly, diabetes imposes serious threats to the kidneys of the old people when they are infected. In relation to the eye effects complications, the kidney effects results from poorly controlled or ignored diabetes. Notably, the significant kidney infection is commonly referred to as diabetic nephropathy. Kidneys are damaged over years and the effects on the kidney can be mitigated by nephropathy screening, which helps in stopping the condition from worsening. According to the medical experts, these complications are treatable among both the young and the old if only one gets medical attention during the early stages. Hicks (2010) affirms that the change in the way of living and drugs to treat the rising blood pressure and increasing cholesterol levels form part of the medication that individuals receive.
Furthermore, diabetes effects to numbness in the nerves of the aged people. Notably, nerves are important parts of the body that boost the performance of every activity that the body undertakes. Among the notable activities that the nerves take part in are movement, digestion and even reproduction. According to Thomas (2010) this means that tempering with the nerves can simply lead to numbness in the human body. Additionally, lack of functioning of the nerves of the old people is noticeable through different effects. The noticeable effects are excessive sweating, lack of sexual arousal and numbness. Despite the fact that treatments for neuropathy concentrates on pain relieving, there can also be treatment, such as blood pressure lowering drugs prescription to help stop growth of the condition.
Apart from the effect on the nerves, diabetes also has adverse effects on the digestion of the old people. The effects on digestion normally relate with effects on the nerves of the body. One of the ways that diabetes affects digestion is through causing of nausea, constipation and diarrhea. Relatively, when a person is affected with nausea or diarrhea, their appetite falls and they eat less. This affects digestion in the body. However, a different cause of troubled digestion can be the effect of diabetes treatment. Notably, some treatments utilized in alleviating type 2 diabetes could lead to digestive problems among individuals, which could reduce as the body adapts. Additionally, just like the other effects of diabetes, doctors advise that this is treatable if the patients identify the problem at an earlier stage and sees the doctor.
Moreover, the skin is also affected by diabetes. Notably, the effect of diabetes on the skin and nerves has a close relationship. When the nerves fail to function, the human skin may become dry and the wound on it take a longer period to heal. Additionally, there is the fungal as well as bacterial infectivity and the feet lose their feeling. Furthermore, the people suffering from diabetes are advised by the medical experts to attend feet-checking services every year as this would help in the alleviation of the seriousness of the effects. White, et al. (2012) agrees that the term the diabetic foot is used to refer to the diabetic condition affecting the feet of individuals. In conclusion, diabetes is a serious long-term disease that has serious effects especially on the old. Firstly, diabetes results to a complication known as diabetes retinopathy. Notably, this complication normally affects the old people of the society. The complication affects the eye of the individual who is suffering from diabetes. Secondly, diabetes imposes serious threats to the kidneys of the old people when they are infected. In relation to the eye effects complications, the effects on the kidney emanate from diabetes that is either controlled or uncontrolled over a significant number of years. Notably, diabetic nephropathy is the term used for kidney infection because of diabetes. Moreover, diabetes makes the nerves of individuals become numb hence making it difficult for them to function properly. Notably, the nerves are important parts of the body that play a key role in the performance of every activity in the body. Among the notable activities that the nerves take part in are movement, digestion and even reproduction. This implies that tempering with the nerves can lead to numbness in the human body.
