Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition that stays with you during your entire lifetime. When you are a diabetic, you need to bring about some serious changes in your lifestyle in order to be able to live a healthy and problem free life. When a person suffers from diabetes, the pancreas is unable to produce adequate amount of insulin to convert the glucose into energy. Or, the body is unable to use the insulin to convert the blood sugar into energy. Therefore, if a diabetic fails to be cautious about his eating and exercise requirements, it can lead to some serious complications, some of which, can have an irreversible effect on the body. Uncontrolled diabetes could result in either too high, or too low blood sugar in the body, and both of these conditions can lead to some serious consequences, which can result in blindness, heart failure, kidney failure and even death! Which is why they say, "Controlled diabetes can give you a normal life and make you feel as if you're completely healthy. However, if you take it for granted and fail to be concerned, it can become more like a curse, affecting each and every aspect of your body!" Complications of Uncontrolled Diabetes Mellitus Uncontrolled diabetes ends up affecting each and every part of your body, right from the heart, the blood vessels, the eyes, kidneys, the gums and teeth, the nerves, as well as the sensations in the human body. Lack of adequate amount of glucose can also affect the functioning of the brain, which in turn, can affect the overall functioning of the body leading to serious consequences like paralysis and coma resulting from diabetic neuropathy. Mentioned below is a detailed explanation of the aforementioned complications. Hypoglycemia and / or Hyperglycemia Hypoglycemia is a condition wherein the blood sugar levels go as low as 60 mg/dl and cause symptoms like confusion, palpitations, sweating, nausea and dizziness. This condition can occur if a person has not been eating meals on time, or is suffering from other health conditions like kidney failure. In this condition, the person should be given sugar or candies immediately to bring the sugar level back to normal. Hyperglycemia on the other hand is just the opposite of hypoglycaemia. In this condition, the person has extremely high glucose levels which can go as high as 600 mg/dl. This condition can result in severe consequences like blindness, numbness, tingling and burning sensation in the toes and feet, and weakness. This can also lead to coma, and if left untreated, it can also cause death. Heart Related Problems Studies reveal that among all the people who died due to uncontrolled diabetes, 65% of them died because of a heart attack or stroke. Most of the people suffering from diabetes also end up suffering from blood pressure and heart related problems. Keeping your diabetes under control minimizes the chances of heart related issues. It also leads to blood vessel diseases which can lead to blood clots in the body and cause heart problems and stroke. Eye Related Problems Did you know that diabetes is the number one cause of blindness in the United States of America? Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to eye problems like diabetic retinopathy, wherein the vision becomes blurred with dark patches. Other eye problems include glaucoma and cataracts. I know a person who went completely blind because she never really cared about controlling her diabetes, and now it has caused her something that is irreversible. If you don't want to be in that situation, and trust me you wouldn't want to even know someone in a situation like this, the positive outlook is that 90% of the eye problems related to diabetes can be resolved by keeping diabetes under control. Brain Problems and Stroke I have already discussed this part earlier in this article. Our brain is dependent on our heart for the supply of glucose enriched blood which enables the smooth functioning of the brain. However, in case of low blood sugar, the brain is unable to receive the supply thereby resulting in consequences like coma, fainting and even paralysis. Because uncontrolled diabetes can also affect the arteries and nerves, the presence of blood clots can also lead to strokes. Nerve Problems Nerves and brain are interrelated to each other. High blood sugar levels in the body can result in severe damage in the nerves. This can lead to amputations in the legs and feet. Research also states that almost 60% of the cases of leg and foot amputations are caused by diabetes, unless of course, not related to an injury. In severe cases, a person may also suffer from erectile dysfunction, loss of sensation and problems like indigestion. Teeth and Gum Related Problems High blood sugar levels can cause your mouth to cause a sweet and fruity smell. Uncontrolled diabetes is usually accompanied by teeth and gum diseases. Which is why, if you are a diabetic, then regular checkups of your gums and teeth is a must as an untreated condition can cause tooth loss. Kidney Related Problems I told you that diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in the United States, right? But that is not it! Diabetes is also the leading cause of kidney failure in the United States of America. Yes, it's not alcohol, it's uncontrolled diabetes! I guess these reasons are more than enough for you to understand how important it is to keep your diabetes under control! Complications of uncontrolled diabetes can turn your life upside down by bringing along the most severe forms of ailments that have been discussed above. So, decide right now, how do you want to spend your life in the future? By continuing what you are doing right now and suffering from ailments and diseases, or by adapting a healthy lifestyle and living with ease and comfort.