The most dangerous symptoms of diseased kidneys
What are the early symptoms of kidney disease?
A modern lifestyle causes a large number of people to get sick kidneys. And what’s worse, younger people are getting sick with these serious diseases. With sick kidneys often goes high blood pressure and diabetes. At greatest risk are people who drink large amounts of drugs every day. One of the basic functions of the kidneys is to cleanse and detoxify the poison. And the daily intake of drugs forces the kidneys to make an extraordinary effort. At particular risk of kidney disease are people who have a genetic predisposition, people over 50 years of age. Smokers, overweight people, smokers…
Healthy people usually have two kidneys, which are the size of a fist and are located near waste on both sides of the spine. The kidneys are just below the chest and have the primary role of helping the body detoxify by removing waste products. Waste products filtered by the kidneys include additional fluids, particles left in digestion, sodium/salt or other electrolytes, and various other substances found in the blood. Not only do the kidneys expel waste from the body in the form of urine, but they also help control blood pressure, remove drugs or toxins, regulate hormones, and maintain a strong skeletal system (strong bone). Kidney failure, therefore, can be a very serious condition – it requires a high level of intervention, including dialysis treatment to do the job of filtering the kidneys are no longer able.
What is kidney failure?
Acute kidney injury (also called acute renal failure) is a term commonly used to describe patients whose kidneys suddenly stop functioning as they normally should. It is a sudden loss of the kidneys’ ability to excrete waste, concentrate urine, preserve electrolytes and maintain fluid balance.” Chronic renal failure is, as the name suggests, the cessation of normal functioning of the kidneys, and occurs as a result of some other conditions or diseases.
How does chronic renal failure occur?
The kidneys are responsible for filtering harmful substances from the blood. These substances are then excreted from the body in the urine. Chronic renal failure occurs when the kidneys do not fulfill this function for a long period of time, whether it is a period of several months or years. With an advanced condition, the deposition of harmful substances in the body can also occur, which then leads to other diseases.
What is the cause of chronic kidney failure?
The most common reasons leading to kidney failure are diabetes and high blood pressure. In addition, this condition can also occur due to impaired kidney function, chronic kidney disease, infection in the kidneys, autoimmune disorders and congenital kidney disease. Also, smokers, people who are obese, as well as those who have heart disease, high cholesterol and those who have kidney disease have a higher risk of kidney failure. Standard therapies for renal failure usually include hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. Sometimes a complete kidney transplant is also required for certain patients with renal failure or selected from preference in some cases where this is a possible option.
Facts and figures about kidney failure:
- Experts state that there are five primary complications associated with chronic kidney disease and damage: anemia, hyperlipidemia , poor nutrition, risk factors of cardiovascular disease and osteodystrophy (abnormal bone mass growth associated with disorders in calcium and phosphorus metabolism).
- Patients with chronic kidney problems and a high risk for kidney failure experience much higher rates of the aforementioned diseases, especially heart complications and anemia.
- Many patients with kidney failure visit the hospital for sudden symptoms, and this is where their diagnoses occur. If a patient ends up in intensive care, acute renal failure is associated with between a 50 and 80 percent chance of mortality.
- Chronic kidney disease is as a major risk factor for kidney failure and currently a significant global health problem.
Symptoms
Since the kidneys are needed for the proper balance of the ratio of water, salt and other minerals (called electrolytes) in the blood, the symptoms of kidney failure are very dangerous and often even life-threatening. However, it is not always obvious to patients that kidney damage contributes to their health problems – since the underlying reasons why the kidneys fail can cause all sorts of symptoms.
For some patients with unhealthy kidneys, no obvious symptoms are felt at all. Only suddenly does “failure” of the kidneys occur, and then causes an emergency situation.
Symptoms of kidney failure usually include:
- Kidney pain, which feels like pulsation or sensitivity under the chest or in the back/abdomen
- Frequent urination
- Fluid retention and swelling due to electrolyte imbalance, especially in the lower extremities, such as the legs, ankles or feet.
- Indigestion, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting
- High blood pressure
- Cognitive changes and mood swings, mainly due to electrolyte levels shifting and dehydration . This can include confusion, sleep problems, anxiety, fatigue, trouble concentrating, weakness and brain fog.