Kidney disease, function and first symptoms of the disease

Today I’m going to talk to you about the symptoms of kidney disease. It is always important to recognize the disease in the early stages of the disease because then it is much better treated. The kidneys are paired organs the size of a fist, located on both sides of the spine under the rib arches. You probably know that they are the “filters” of all the blood that passes through the body, but besides that, they also have many other functions important for the health and normal functioning of our entire organism. The kidneys are closely related to other vital organs such as the heart, lungs or liver, and their good “communication” maintains a healthy balance of blood volume, electrolytes and dynamics of the whole organism.

Main functions of the kidneys

Kidneys are very interesting organs, primarily due to the fact that only 10% of their mass can be functional, without presenting the symptoms of their disease or they are nonspecific, and therefore neglected. Also, the kidneys are very efficient in the division and organization of work – if one kidney or some part of it cannot perform its function well for any reason, the rest of that same kidney or the other very efficiently takes over its work.

In this way, important physiological parameters such as blood pressure and blood volume remain normal, and waste products are still effectively expelled from the body. And as I mentioned, the liver, lungs, heart and kidneys make up a very important mechanism. Each kidney is made up of about a million building blocks called nephrons. Nephrons can be called “microscopic filters” because each of them performs the task of filtering blood.

Each nephron is made up of two parts: a tangle of capillaries called a glomerulus and a tubule system( tube). Blood filtration begins with blood reaching the glomeruli through the renal blood vessels where larger particles, such as erythrocytes and proteins, are filtered. In some parts, glucose is reabsorbed (returned to the blood), in some parts by the reabsorption of sodium, potassium and other electrolytes, depending on what the body needs at that moment.

You may not have known it, but your kidneys are also hormone producers. The first of these is erythropoietin or hematopoietin, a hormone that stimulates the production of red blood cells (erythrocytes) in the bone marrow. This hormone is very important in maintaining a normal blood count and ensures that the body has a sufficient amount of erythrocytes and hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a molecule found in red blood cells, and its task is to bind and transport oxygen to all cells in the body.

The kidneys also produce the hormone renin, which is crucial for regulating blood volume and pressure. When this pressure is lowered, which means that there is less blood flow through the kidney, these cells begin to secrete renin. Renin goes into circulation and further stimulates a cascade of events that results in an increase in blood pressure and an increase in circulating blood volume. In this way, the kidneys can regulate blood pressure levels and blood volume very effectively. The kidneys produce an active form of vitamin D!

The biologically active form of vitamin D is called calcitriol, and it is actually one of the three homons produced by the kidneys. Therefore, it is correct to say that vitamin D is a hormone, not a vitamin. However, for ease of understanding, the name vitamin is still used. The kidneys play an important role in maintaining water balance in the body. Water can enter the body through the consumption of food and drinks, and a small percentage of water is produced as a product of various metabolic processes in the body. On the other hand, water comes out of the body through sweating, breathing, defecation, but mostly through urination.

The first symptoms of kidney disease

The first symptom of kidney disease is CHRONIC FATIGUE. A serious decrease in kidney function can lead to the accumulation of toxins and impurities in the blood. This can cause people to feel tired, weak and can make it difficult to concentrate. Another complication of kidney disease is anemia, which can cause weakness and fatigue.

Dry, itchy skin can be a sign of the mineral and bone disease that often accompanies advanced kidney disease, when the kidneys are no longer able to maintain the right balance of minerals and nutrients in your blood. When the kidneys are not filtered properly, toxins remain in the blood instead of leaving the body through the urine.

This can make it difficult to sleep. There is also a link between obesity and chronic kidney disease, and sleep apnea is more common in those with chronic kidney disease, compared to the general population. If you feel the need to urinate more often, especially at night, it may be a sign of kidney disease. When kidney filters are damaged, it can cause an increase in the urge to urinate.

Sometimes it can also be a sign of a urinary infection or an enlarged prostate in men. Excessive bubbles in the urine — especially those that require you to flush several times before they go away — indicate protein in the urine. This foam may look like the foam you see in scrambled eggs, as the common protein found in urine, albumin, is the same protein found in eggs.

Healthy kidneys usually hold blood cells in the body when filtering waste from the blood to create urine, but when the kidneys’ filters are damaged, these blood cells can begin to “leak” into the urine. In addition to signaling kidney disease, blood in the urine can be an indicator of tumors, kidney stones, or infection. Protein in the urine is an early sign that the kidneys’ filters are damaged, allowing protein to leak into the urine.

This puffiness around your eyes may be due to the fact that your kidneys are leaking a large amount of protein in your urine instead of keeping it in your body. Especially swelling in the legs or around the eyes.people will often have a poor appetite. It is a very general symptom, but the accumulation of toxins resulting from reduced kidney function can be one of the causes.

Muscle cramps… Electrolyte imbalances can be due to impaired kidney function. For example, low calcium levels and poorly controlled phosphorus can contribute to muscle cramps. Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, high blood pressure, shortness of breath, anemia, sexual dysfunction… The kidneys can also work when they are severely damaged and you will feel these symptoms in smaller percentages. And that is why you must take care to notice yourself in time, because when you start to get serious symptoms, it can very quickly become a critical situation. Please take care of early symptoms and natural ways to help sick kidneys.

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