What is Chronic Kidney Disease?

Understanding Chronic Kidney Disease

The rise of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes has greatly increased the rate of kidney failure across the world.

Although complications are prevalent in men according to studies, more and more women are also becoming susceptible.

The two organs, located on either side of the spine, play a very important role in getting rid of body waste while also balancing the amount of salts, fluids, and minerals in the blood.

An injury or damage to kidneys would result to a build-up of waste in the body and a rise in blood pressure among other complications.

The role of the kidneys in the body

- Apart from filtering the waste products course for digestion, kidneys also clean up residues and by-products of medications and chemicals that the body is exposed to.

- The organs produce the enzyme rennin which is responsible for regulating blood pressure.

- Kidneys also regulate the concentration of salts such as sodium, phosphorus, and potassium.

- They help in the growth of healthy bones especially in kids by producing vitamin D.

- They are responsible for the production of erythropoietin which in turn triggers the production of red blood cells.

Causes of kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease refers to the condition where one or both kidneys fail to function properly for more than 3 months.

The disease is attributed to a number of factors but the most culpable ones are when the patient suffers diabetes, high blood pressure, or both.

Other causes include:

- Hereditary factors which stimulate the growth of cysts

- Kidney stones.

- The kidney is part of the urinary system, thus multiple urinary tract infections can cause considerable damage.

- Inflammation in the kidneys, sometimes resulting from unknown causes.

- Long term use of drugs. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as naproxen and ibuprofen have also been linked to kidney failure.

Kidneys can also fail when one loses blood in a traumatic accident. Some women have been affected after experiencing pregnancy complications known as eclampsia. Enlarged prostate can also cause obstruction to urine thus triggering inflammation in the urinary tract.

Impact of Acute Renal Failure (ARF)

Acute renal failure is a reference to any instance where one or both kidneys stop working.

Due to the inability of the body to control blood pressure and eject waste, the patient becomes highly vulnerable to cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Studies indicate that people on dialysis are 20 times more likely to suffer heart failure. The patient develops stiff arteries because the kidneys can no longer produce the hormone that regulates calcium which is responsible for stiffening heart valves thus increasing blood pressure.

In addition, there is increase of fats and cholesterol which exacerbate CVD. High blood pressure combined with irregular blood clots within the vessels could lead to stroke and death.

Symptoms and diagnosis of kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease develops slowly over a long period and quietly. Common symptoms include frequent and painful urination; the urine has foam and traces of blood, pain in the ankles and the eye area, tiredness, nausea, problems with breathing, vomiting, and pain in the kidney areas.

Diagnosis can be done using urine and blood tests, CT scan of the kidneys, and biopsies.

Finally, if you suspect kidney disease, or have kidney disease, please know that kidney disease does not need to be permanent, nor a life sentence.

Kidney disease is highly treatable using natural medicines and techniques to restore the kidneys to perfect health, or to halt the progression and maintain their function.