The kidneys are the key organs that control systematic blood pressure. These bean-shaped organs at the back of the abdominal activity are positioned below the lower margin of the rib cage and the upper limit of the pelvic cavity. The two kidney organs perform several life sustaining roles such as cleansing your blood by removing excess wastes & fluid and maintain the balance of salt & mineral in your blood.
Kidney diseases have become very common with people and they constantly look for remedies that can help them recover fast with less medicinal side effects. Although it is not fatal, the cost of treating final stage kidney disease through dialysis or a kidney transplant is sky-scrapping.
Chronic Kidney Disease
Chronic Kidney disease is a condition that leads to damage in kidneys and often diminishes their ability to perform their normal functions. If kidney disease becomes worse, wastes can accumulate to higher levels in the blood and can cause sickness. There are several complications of Chronic Kidney disease which include weak bones, high blood pressure, anemia and poor nutritional health.
Also, kidney diseases increase your risk of having heart & blood vessel disease. It can also lead to other problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure and other disorders. These problems may happen slowly over a long period of time. There are five stages of Chronic Kidney disease failure. If you are suffering from Chronic Kidney failure, your kidneys will eventually lose their ability to remove excess fluid and wastage from your blood.
Stages of Chronic Kidney Failure
- Normal = Healthy Kidneys with a GFR level of 90 ML/min or greater
- Stage 1 = Kidney damage but normal or high GFR of 90 ML/min or greater
- Stage 2 = mildly decreased GFR of 60 to 89 ML/min
- Stage 3 = moderately decreased GFR of 30 to 59 ML/min
- Stage 4 = severely decreased GFR of 15 to 29 ML/min
- Stage 5 = Kidney failure or dialysis. GFR of Less than 15 ML/min
Symptoms of Kidney Disease that must not be ignored
Sudden Change in Urination Pattern
The first symptom of kidney disease is changes in the amount, frequency and color of your urine sample. There may be an increase or decrease in the amount or its frequency at night. The usual lightish yellow color may turn into dark yellow and can turn up foamy & bubbly.
Blood flow in urine
This symptom of kidney disease is a serious alarming situation. Apart from kidney disease, there can be several reasons such as kidney stones, urinary bladder infection, urinary bladder cancer and prostate enlargement etc. It is advised to consult your doctor in case you are facing such issue.
Swelling
Kidneys have the ability to remove extra fluid and waste products from your body. If they lose this capability, this extra fluid will accumulate in the body, thereby, causing swelling in joints, feet, knees and ankles.
Tremendous Fatigue and General Weakness
Human kidneys fabricate a hormone called erythropoietin, which in turn, helps in the formation of red blood cells that carry oxygen. During kidney disease, low levels of erythropoietin are made which causes a decline in the production of red blood cell. It eventually results in anemia.
Dizziness and concentration issues
If anemia is related to kidney disease, it can cause dizziness, concentration issues and irritability etc. It can also deprive your brain from oxygen.
Skin rashes and itching
A kidney failure can cause waste build-up in your body. This can cause severe itching and skin rash.
Wintry Feeling all the time
Those suffering from kidney disease often feel cold and fall prey to fever. All this happens due to anemia caused by lack of formation of red blood cells. A kidney infection can also cause fever.
Nausea and vomiting
Due to the accumulation of waste products in your blood in Kidney disease often cause nausea and vomiting.
Smallness of breath
The disease may cause waste fluids to accumulate in the lungs. Also, anemia is a general side-effect of kidney disease that creates oxygen scarcity in human body.
Pain in the back or sides
Kidneys are located on either side of the spine or in the back, so you are likely to feel pain during kidney disease. Such pain is also related to polycystic kidney disease, an innate kidney disorder, which leads to several fluid-filled cysts in the kidneys.
Ammonia breath and metallic taste
Kidney disease (acute & chronic) increases the level of urea in the blood. The urea in turn broke down to ammonia in the body causing bad breath. It is also usually associated with an unpleasant metallic taste in the mouth.
There is no cure for the Chronic Kidney disease, however, if you observe one or more of the above mentioned key symptoms act fast ,if it gets diagnosed in the early stages, diet, medication & lifestyle changes can lead to slow down in the growth of the disease and can be treated efficiently.
Read more on Kidney transplant in India at affordable cost.