Chronic Kidney Disease, often abbreviated as CKD, is a long-term condition where the kidneys gradually lose their ability to function effectively. It’s a serious ailment that can significantly impact your quality of life. Understanding the stages and implications of CKD is crucial for implementing effective treatments. The progression of CKD is typically measured in five stages, with Stage 1 indicating mild kidney damage and Stage 5 signifying kidney failure. Recognizing symptoms early on can make a significant difference in management.
Symptoms of Chronic Kidney Disease:
· Feel more tired and have less energy
· Have trouble concentrating
· Have a poor appetite
· Have trouble sleeping or muscle cramps at night
· Have puffiness around your eyes
· Have swollen feet and ankles
· Have dry and itchy skin
· Have to pass urine more often, particularly at night
Kidney disease symptoms are often non-specific and quite general. This means that these symptoms might be a cause of other illnesses as well. This is why acting immediately on kidney disease symptoms is critical.
8 SIMPLE WAYS TO HELP PREVENT KIDNEY DISEASE
There are a few easy things you can do to help prevent CKD. The healthy habits below can help protect and strengthen your kidneys and reduce your risk of developing kidney disease.
1. Eat a kidney-friendly diet.
2. Limit alcohol and tobacco use.
3. Get plenty of exercise.
4. Reduce your salt intake.
5. Drink plenty of water.
6. Avoid daily use of painkillers containing acetaminophen.
7. Have your blood pressure checked regularly.
8. Limit consumption of potassium and phosphorus.
How to diagnose chronic kidney disease?
When initiating the chronic kidney disease diagnosis, the doctor will check for signs and ask you about the symptoms. To be certain of CKD, the following tests might be ordered:
· Urine test- It helps in determining if albumin is present in urine as it indicates kidney damage
· Kidney scans- Ultrasound scans for assessing the shape and size of the kidney. In some cases, the doctor might also order MRI or CT scans
· Kidney biopsy- It ensures making a precise diagnosis as it involves extraction of the kidney tissue and looking for the cell damage
· Chest X-ray- It assists in checking pulmonary edema which is fluid retained in the lungs
· GFR-This helps in understanding when the kidneys are filtering waste properly or not.
Chronic Kidney Disease Treatment:
Chronic kidney diseases don’t have a specific treatment. However, using the appropriate medication can reduce the pace of their deterioration. In many cases, kidney problems are related to high blood pressure and medicines controlling the blood pressure may also be recommended by doctors. Since kidney swelling (Hydronephrosis) is a result of urine accumulation, doctors may also put the patients on diuretics which can make a person pass urine frequently.
Chronic kidney diseases can also result in low calcium levels and lesser bone density. To counter this, doctors also recommend calcium and Vitamin D supplements.
Dialysis is another common form of kidney ailments treatment followed the world over. This is only done in extreme cases where the patient’s kidneys are totally out of function.
There are two primary kinds of dialysis: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. In hemodialysis, blood is filtered outside of your body, in a machine. And in the case of peritoneal dialysis, a special solution is injected into your abdominal cavity which absorbs excess fluids and waste before they are removed from your body. Because dialysis is usually performed regularly, it is a big lifestyle change and also carries a risk of infection.
In Conclusion
Kidney disease is a significant health concern with far-reaching implications. While some risk factors such as age and family history are beyond our control, adopting a healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk and delay the progression of kidney disease. Regular check-ups and early intervention are vital for managing the condition effectively and preserving kidney function. As we observe National Kidney Month, let us raise awareness about this silent epidemic and empower individuals to take proactive steps towards kidney health.
