Type 2 Diabetes

When you have type 2 diabetes, your body still makes insulin. But as time goes on, your pancreas may make less and less insulin, which will make it harder to keep your blood sugar in your Reference target range. If your blood sugar gets too high and stays too high for too long, your risk for other health problems increases. Over time, high blood sugar can Reference damage many parts of your body Opens New Window Reference Opens New Window.

Eyes

High blood sugar levels may cause temporary blurred vision. Blurry vision, Reference floaters Opens New Window, or Reference flashes of light Opens New Window may be a sign of diabetic retinopathy, which can cause severe vision loss.

To learn more, see the topic Reference Diabetic Retinopathy.

Feet and skin

You may have less feeling in your feet, which means that you can injure your feet and not know it. Blisters, ingrown toenails, small cuts, or other problems that may seem minor can quickly become more serious. If you develop serious infections or bone and joint deformities, you may need surgery (even Reference amputation) to treat those problems. Reference Common infections can quickly become more serious when you have diabetes.

Heart and blood vessels

High blood sugar damages the lining of blood vessels. This can lead to stroke, heart attack, or peripheral arterial disease. Reference Erection problems Opens New Window can be an early warning sign of blood vessel disease and may mean a higher risk of heart disease.

• Reference Stroke
• Reference Heart Attack and Unstable Angina
• Reference Peripheral Arterial Disease

Nerves

High blood sugar levels can damage nerves throughout your body. This damage is called diabetic neuropathy. There are three kinds of diabetic neuropathy:

• Reference Diabetic peripheral neuropathy. This is damage to the nerves that sense pain, touch, hot, and cold. This type of nerve damage can lead to a deformity called Reference Charcot foot Opens New Window Reference Opens New Window. It can also lead to other problems that may require amputation.
• Reference Autonomic neuropathy. This is damage to nerves that control things like your heartbeat, blood pressure, sweating, digestion, urination, and sexual function.
• Reference Focal neuropathy. Most of the time, this affects just one nerve, usually in the wrist, thigh, or foot. It may also affect the nerves of your back and chest and those that control your eye muscles.

To learn more, see the topic Reference Diabetic Neuropathy.

Kidneys

The kidneys have many tiny blood vessels that filter waste from your blood. High blood sugar can destroy these blood vessels. You won't have any symptoms of kidney damage until the problem is severe. Then you may notice swelling in your feet or legs or all over your body.

To learn more, see the topic Reference Diabetic Nephropathy.

Hearing

High blood sugar can damage the small blood vessels and nerves in the ear, causing hearing loss.

Teeth

Gum disease can make it harder to keep blood sugar in a target range. And high blood sugar can cause gum disease, loss of teeth, and healing problems in the mouth.

Mental health

Type 2 diabetes can raise your risk of depression. It may be caused by the stress of dealing with diabetes or by the effects that diabetes has on your body.

Being depressed can make it hard to eat healthy foods and to find the motivation to exercise. All of these things lead to higher blood sugar. By getting help for depression, you'll feel better and may find it easier to stay motivated.

• Reference Interactive Tool: Are You Depressed? Reference

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This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Reference Terms of Use. Reference How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.