The kidneys are a pair of organs, located on either side of the spinal cord, in the lower-back region. These small organs play a significant role, filtering blood and removing toxins from the body. These toxins are then sent to the urinary bladder, from where they are expelled through urination.
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
When the kidneys are damaged, it brings down their efficiency in filtering waste and unwanted fluids from the body. This is referred to as Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). There are 5 stages of CKD, from very mild damage to the kidneys to total kidney failure. Kidney/renal failure occurs when the kidneys have completely lost the ability to filter waste, causing the blood to circulate toxins and can even be fatal.
Causes of Chronic Kidney Disease
CKD may be caused due to one or more of the following reasons:
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure (Hypertension)
- Heart disease
- Kidney infections
- Enlarged prostate gland, kidney stones or cancer that may obstruct the urinary tract for prolonged periods of time
- Long-term use of certain medications including Lithium and Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS)
- Polycystic disease of kidneys
- Smoking
- Obesity
Additionally, having a family history of kidney disease and/or old age (60+ years) also increases the chances of a person being affected by CKD.
Identifying CKD
Symptoms
You may notice one or more of the following symptoms as the early indicators of kidney disease:
- Too much or too little urination
- Unusual itching
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Muscle cramps
- Swelling of feet and ankles
- Shortness of breath
- Sleeplessness or difficulty in falling sleeping
If you experience more than one or two of these symptoms along with any of the health conditions that may cause CKD, we recommend that you visit the doctor and undergo medical tests.
Medical Tests
Blood tests: A kidney function test looks for the level of waste products (creatinine, urea, etc.) in the blood and a Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) determines how well the kidneys are functioning.
Urine tests: A urine test can reveal abnormalities indicating chronic kidney disease and also help identify its cause.
Imaging tests: Using an ultrasound to assess the size and structure of kidneys can help identify CKD.
Tissue Sampling/Biopsy: Removing and analysing a kidney tissue, as per doctor’s recommendation, will reveal all about the kidney’s problem.
CKD Prevention
Keeping diabetes and high blood pressure under check can go a long way in preventing kidney disease.
Some other practices that can lower a person’s risk of kidney disease/failure are:
- Observing a low-fat diet
- Avoiding excessive use of table salt
- Exercising for 30 minutes a day, at least on 5 days a week
- Going for regular health check-ups
- Refraining from tobacco in any form
- Limiting the intake of alcohol
References
