Kidneys play an important role in maintaining the overall health of our body. Located on either side of our spine, these bean-shaped organs filter waste products, excess fluid, and toxins from the bloodstream. They regulate blood pressure, maintain electrolyte balance, and produce hormones that stimulate red blood cell production. In this post we will share, kidney disease: what causes kidney disease? Symptoms, treatment.
We all know that every human body has two kidneys, which mainly filter nitrogenous wastes like urea, creatinine, acid etc. from the blood. However, like other organs, the kidneys can have problems that can lead to kidney disease. It is very important to know the causes of kidney disease, kidney failure symptoms, treatment of kidney disease.
Kidney disease: what causes kidney disease? symptoms, treatment. So let’s know about kidney disease in detail.
kidney disease
Kidney failure alludes to any condition that influences the design or capability of the kidneys. There are different types of kidney disease, each with its own causes, symptoms, and treatments. A few normal sorts of kidney disease include:
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Acute Kidney Injury (AKI): Also known as acute renal failure, AKI is a sudden and temporary loss of kidney function. This is usually caused by dehydration, infection, medication or obstruction of the urinary tract.
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD): This refers to the gradual decline of kidney function over time. CKD is often caused by an underlying condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or glomerulonephritis.
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD): PKD is a genetic disorder that causes cysts to form in the kidneys, which can lead to kidney failure over time.
Glomerulonephritis: This is a type of kidney disease that occurs when the tiny filters of the kidney become inflamed and damaged. It can be caused by an infection, autoimmune disorder, or certain medications.
What causes kidney disease?
Kidney Disease can be brought about by various variables, including:
- Diabetes: Diabetes: One of the most common causes of kidney failure is diabetes. High blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels in the kidneys, which can lead to kidney damage over time.
- High blood pressure: High blood pressure can also damage the blood vessels in the kidneys, which can damage the kidneys over time.
- Glomerulonephritis: This is a type of kidney disease that occurs when the tiny filters of the kidney become inflamed and damaged. It can be caused by an infection, autoimmune disorder, or certain medications.
- Polycystic kidney disease (PKD): PKD is a genetic disorder that causes cysts to form in the kidneys, which can lead to kidney failure over time.
- Infections: Infections such as pyelonephritis, a type of urinary tract infection that reaches the kidneys, can cause kidney damage.
- Obstructions: Any obstruction in the urinary tract such as kidney stones, tumors or enlarged prostate can damage the kidneys over time.
- Drug toxicity: Some drugs such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and some antibiotics can cause kidney damage.
- Lupus: Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can cause inflammation and damage to the kidneys.
- Congenital diseases: Some congenital diseases like Alport syndrome can cause progressive kidney disease.
It is important to note that some people may be more susceptible to kidney disease than others. Factors that may increase the risk of kidney disease include a family history of kidney disease, age over 60, obesity and smoking. Managing these risk factors can help prevent or slow the progression of kidney disease.
Know about symptoms and treatment of kidney disease
Symptoms of kidney disease:
Symptoms of kidney disease vary depending on the kind and seriousness of the condition. Although the only sure way to diagnose kidney disease is through testing, here are some early warning signs of kidney disease:
- Swelling: Kidney disease can cause fluid retention in the body, causing swelling of the feet, ankles, hands, and face.
- Fatigue: The kidneys lose their ability to filter waste products from the blood, so toxins can build up in the body, causing fatigue and weakness.
- Urinary problems: Kidney disease can cause changes in urination, such as frequent urination, difficulty urinating, or blood in the urine.
- High blood pressure: Kidneys play an important role in controlling blood pressure, so kidney disease can cause high blood pressure.
- Nausea and vomiting: Kidney disease can cause nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite.
- Shortness of breath: As kidney disease progresses, fluid can build up in the lungs, causing shortness of breath.
- Difficulty concentrating: Oxygen transport to the brain decreases due to decreased red blood cells. It makes it hard to focus on work, in this manner dealing with different issues.
- Feeling cold all the time: Kidney disease causes feeling cold even in hot weather. And if there is a kidney problem, fever can also come.
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Kidney Disease Treatment
Treatment of kidney disease depends on the type and severity of the condition. In some cases, kidney disease can be managed with lifestyle changes and medication. In other cases, more invasive treatment such as dialysis or a kidney transplant may be needed.
Lifestyle changes:
If you have kidney disease, your doctor may recommend changes to your diet, such as reducing salt and protein intake. You may also need to make other lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking and exercising regularly.
- Keep weight under control.
- Develop a balanced diet.
- Exercise at least 30 minutes every day (if not every day, most days of the week). Walking, running, cycling and free-hand exercises are good.
- Smoking, drinking, al*cohol is prohibited. A smoker’s kidneys have reduced blood flow. Kidney function decreases. The risk of cancer also increases.
- Enough sleep every day. Keep stress under control.
Medication:
Depending on the cause of your kidney disease, your doctor may prescribe medications to manage symptoms or slow the progression of the disease. For example, if you have high blood pressure, your doctor may prescribe medication to lower it.:
Dialysis
Dialysis filters and purifies the blood using a machine. The device performs the functions of the kidneys. Depending on the type of dialysis. There are two types of dialysis:
- hemodialysis
- peritoneal dialysis.
Kidney transplant:
If your kidneys fail completely, you may need a kidney transplant. It involves receiving a healthy kidney from a living or deceased donor.
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Do sleeping pills damage the kidneys?
However, taking too many sleeping pills at once can cause serious damage to the liver and kidneys. And long-term habits will do damage very slowly. There is some evidence that long-term use of certain types of sleeping pills, such as benzodiazepines, can have a negative effect on kidney function. Benzodiazepines are a type of drug commonly used to treat insomnia, anxiety, and other conditions.
What are the stages of kidney failure?
There are five stages of kidney disease. To determine which stage you have, your healthcare provider does a blood test to check your glomerular filtration rate (GFR). GFR estimates how much blood the kidneys channel every moment, recorded as milliliters each moment (ml/min).
Kidney disease: what causes kidney disease? symptoms, treatment. Kidney disease can have serious consequences if left untreated. It is important to recognize the symptoms of kidney disease and seek medical advice if you experience any of them. With proper treatment, kidney disease can be controlled and quality of life improved. If you’re at risk for kidney disease, it’s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and work with your healthcare provider.
