The Impact of Diabetes on Your Urologic Health | Tennessee Valley Urology Center

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 100 million people living in the United States have been diagnosed with either prediabetes or diabetes. Diabetes is a condition in which your blood glucose level is too high, which can cause issues throughout the body, including with your urinary system.

Our team at Tennessee Valley Urology Center wants to share some insight about how diabetes affects the urinary system and how to manage your health.

How Does Diabetes Affect Your Urinary System?

Even before a person is diagnosed with diabetes, urinary system issues can be one of the first signs of the condition.

Early signs of diabetes include:

  • Increased hunger
  • Dry mouth
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Fatigue
  • Blurred vision
  • Headaches

Frequent urination, excessive thirst and urinary tract infections are also an early sign of diabetes. When a person has diabetes, the extra glucose builds up in your blood. Over time, high blood sugar can lead to high blood pressure, which in turn can damage the kidneys.

There are a number of urologic conditions that can result from diabetes, including:

  • Diabetic bladder
  • Weakened bladder
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Overactive bladder
  • Nocturia
  • Incontinence

However, one of the main conditions those with diabetes need to work to prevent is kidney disease, also known as diabetic nephropathy. This disease affects approximately 40% of those with diabetes, and it occurs when the kidneys have difficulty properly filtering.

Symptoms of diabetic nephropathy include:

  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Confusion
  • Loss of appetite
  • More frequent need to urinate
  • Nausea
  • Protein in urine
  • Vomiting
  • Worsening blood pressure
  • Swollen feet, ankles, hands or eyes

Fortunately, you can help limit the effects of diabetes on your urinary system by practicing healthy lifestyle habits. Exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet, limit your intake of added sugars and saturated fat, don’t smoke, and get plenty of quality sleep. You’ll also want to make sure you drink plenty of water.

Have diabetes and want to check up on your urologic health? Our team at Tennessee Valley Urology Center is here to help! Give us a call today to schedule an appointment.