November 2005: Early Detection of Diabetes is Key to Preventing Serious Health Complications
01 Nov 2005
November is American Diabetes Month. Dr. Paul Abbo, a specialist in internal medicine at Weiss Memorial Hospital, has an interest in diabetes management. Dr. Abbo has received additional training on Advanced Wound Management and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at Ohio State University in order to meet patients' Wound Care needs.
Early Detection of Diabetes is Key to Preventing Serious Health Complications
Dr. Paul Abbo
Weiss Physicians Group
Weiss Memorial Hospital
You may be surprised to hear that people may be diabetic and not even know it! Many times, people will have diabetes for 10 years or more before they start to notice symptoms. That is why it is important to get annual health check-ups with a blood sugar measurement. With this measurement, diabetes can be diagnosed and treated at a stage where the damage has not yet occurred, or can be easily treated without having to suffer the ordeal of additional treatments for complications.
Many people have heard about diabetes and the problems that it can cause, but it is important to remember that many of the complications of diabetes can be prevented before the damage is done. Uncontrolled diabetes can damage several parts of the body and this damage is generally irreversible. Often, this can include damage to the eyes, kidneys, and nerves of the body.
Although medicine has some treatments available to try to slow down the rate of damage, the best way to control its spread is by controlling blood sugar and the causes of diabetes. There are several therapies and medications that your doctor can prescribe that will help with this.
If left untreated for too long, people may find that their eyesight is not as good as it used to be, or that their feet and legs experience unusual and bothersome painful tingling which doesn't seem to ever pass. Changes in the kidneys can also occur which can lead to kidney failure and dialysis in the worst cases.
One of the complications of painful burning sensations in the legs is the loss of ability to feel or sense injury. A small cut can develop into a large sore or ulcer, which, because of poor circulation or infection, can become chronic and will not heal. At the Weiss Hospital Wound Healing Center, we have a team of specialists who have the knowledge and tools needed to heal these troublesome wounds. If you or someone you know has a wound that just will not heal, a referral to the Wound Healing Center at Weiss may bring them the help they need to resolve their problem.
And as always, scheduling regular check-ups with your doctor is the best way to prevent and treat disease, especially diabetes and its complications. Have you seen your doctor for a physical this year?
For more information about diabetes or wound care, or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Paul Abbo, call (773) 334-3431. Or call the Wound Healing Center at Weiss at (773) 564-6075.