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2. Kidney Disease
Uncontrolled blood sugar will damage blood vessels throughout the body, and once the tiny clusters of vessels in the kidneys (known as glomeruli) lose function, your body won’t be able to filter out waste and toxins as efficiently. Eventually, you could contract kidney disease, or worse, end-stage kidney failure, which will require a transplant or dialysis.
Unfortunately, kidney problems can go undetected for a very long time, because they usually don’t bring any symptoms in the early stages. Aside from controlling blood sugar and keeping blood pressure in check, annual tests of your urine albumin levels can help spot kidney decline early enough to halt, or even reverse, the damage.
What is diabetic neuropathy? It is a side effect of diabetes that can cause intense nerve pain and there are four types. Find out more here.
