Kidney disease is a condition where a person’s kidney stops working properly and becomes gradually damaged over time. Without the kidney’s ability to function correctly, harmful waste can accumulate to high levels in your blood, which can lead to chronic kidney failure and – eventually – death.
Each day, your kidneys filter over 200 liters of fluid, which removes about two pounds of toxins and excess water. By removing these toxins, the kidneys keep your blood clean and chemically balanced. These organs also retain electrolytes like sodium and potassium, and they secrete many essential hormones into the rest of our body.
Types of Kidney Disease
There are many types of kidney diseases, and each one presents itself differently. Some common kinds include:
Acute Renal Failure
Acute Renal Failure usually occurs when external factors like disease or trauma increase the stress on the kidneys to an incredible level so they become unable to detoxify or keep up their blood pressure reading for more than six hours.
Chronic Renal Failure
This kind of failure happens gradually over time as the kidneys are damaged by diabetes, high blood pressure, hemolytic anemia, or other chronic problems.
Lupus Nephritis
Lupus is an autoimmune disease that causes your immune system to mistakenly attack its own healthy cells. Lupus Nephritis occurs when the body’s immune cells attack and damage its kidney cells, which can cause severe damage.
Polycystic Kidney Disease
There are two kinds of Polycystic Kidney Disease(PKD): autosomal dominant PKD and autosomal recessive PKD. The dominant kind causes cysts only on the kidneys and may not present itself until the individual is between 30 and 50 years old. Autosomal recessive PKD causes cysts to form on both the kidneys and the liver.
Symptoms of Kidney Disease
There are numerous symptoms of kidney disease including:
- Fatigue
- Cramps and swelling in feet and legs
- Hypertension
- Loss of appetite
- Persistent headache
- Dry, itchy skin
- Excessive thirst
- Changes in urination frequency
- Blood in your urine
Kidney Disease Risk Factors
Risk factors for kidney disease are:
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Family history
Diabetes and hypertension account for up to two thirds of kidney disease diagnoses. This happens because these conditions put a lot of stress on the kidneys, which can cause their glomerular filtration rate to decrease. The glomerular filtration rate is the process by which waste products are filtered out by the kidneys before they can enter the bloodstream.
How to Prevent Kidney Disease
The following lifestyle habits can prevent kidney disease:
- Do not smoke
- Limit alcohol intake
- Exercise frequently
- Manage chronic diseases with medications
- Get adequate sleep
- Eat healthy
- Cut down on salt in your diet
Contact The Kidney and Hypertension Center
At The Kidney and Hypertension Center, our physicians are 100% committed to caring for your kidney health. We provide exemplary diagnoses, treatment options, and prevention plans for all kinds of kidney disease. If you would like to learn more about how to prioritize your kidney health, click here to contact us or call (833) 247-3625 today.
