Your kidneys are a pair of organs located on either side, toward your lower back. They work to filter your blood and effectively remove toxins from your body, during urination. A KFT Test can determine the proper filtration rate of your kidneys and is often recommended by the doctor.
Kidney failure is also called renal disease (ESRD) or renal failure. It is the last stage of chronic kidney disease. When your kidneys fail, it means they have lost their filtering ability, dangerous levels of wastes may accumulate and the chemical levels in your blood may get out of balance. The kidneys stop working well enough for you to survive without a dialysis or a kidney transplant in this case.
Kidney Failure Symptoms
There are several factors that can interfere with the proper functioning and health of your kidney, such as:
Toxic exposure to environmental pollutantsConsumption of certain medicationsAcute and chronic diseasesSevere cases of dehydration Kidney traumaThe signs and symptoms of kidney failure can be severe or mild and some may not notice any symptoms at all. Some of the early symptoms of kidney failure are as follows:
A reduced amount of urineSwelling of legs, ankles and feet from retention of fluids as the kidneys fail to eliminate water wasteUnexplained shortness of breathExcessive drowsiness or fatiguePersistent nauseaPain or pressure in your chestSudden seizuresTypes of kidney failure
There are five different types of kidney failure:
Acute prerenal kidney failure is the condition in which there is insufficient blood flow to the kidneys. The kidneys can’t filter toxins from the blood without enough blood flow. This type of kidney failure can usually be cured once your doctor determines the cause of the decreased blood flow.Acute intrinsic kidney failure can result from direct trauma to the kidneys, such as any physical impact or an accident. Causes also include toxin overload and ischemia, which is a lack of oxygen to the kidneys.Chronic prerenal kidney failure is caused when there isn’t enough blood flowing to the kidneys for an extended period of time. In this case the kidneys begin to shrink and lose the ability to function.Chronic intrinsic kidney failure happens when there’s long-term damage caused to the kidneys due to intrinsic kidney disease. This develops from a direct trauma to the kidneys, such as severe bleeding or a lack of oxygen.Chronic post-renal kidney failure is a long-term blockage of the urinary tract and prevents urination. This causes extreme pressure and eventual kidney damage.Kidney Failure Stages
Kidney failure can be classified into five stages. These range from mild to complete kidney failure as the symptoms and complications also increase with the stage progress.
Stage 1
This stage is very mild where you may not even experience any symptoms and have no visible complications. Even though some damage is present, it is still possible to manage and slow down the progression by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. You must eat a balanced diet, regularly exercise and not use tobacco products. It is important to manage your blood sugar levels.
Stage 2
Even though it is stage 2, the kidney disease is still considered a mild form. The detectable issues like protein in urine or physical damage to the kidneys may be more obvious. The lifestyle changes and approaches that helped in stage 1 are still useful during stage 2. Your doctor will likely inform you about other risk factors that could make the disease progress more rapidly, like heart disease, inflammation and blood disorders.
Stage 3
At this stage kidney disease is considered moderate. Your kidneys are not working as they should and a blood test is done that measures the amount of waste products in your body. Symptoms may become more apparent at this stage. Swelling in hands and feet, back pain and changes to urination frequently are likely. Your doctor will also consider at this point to put you on medications to treat underlying conditions that could speed up failure.
Stage 4
Stage 4 kidney disease is considered moderate to severe. The kidneys aren’t working well, but it is not a complete kidney failure yet. Symptoms and complications like anemia, high blood pressure and bone disease are likely to take place. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is still vital along with treatment that your doctor has designed to slow down damage.
Stage 5
In stage 5, your kidneys are nearing or are in complete failure. The evident symptoms at this stage include vomiting and nausea, trouble breathing, itchy skin and more. You will need regular dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Kidney Failure Treatment
There are several treatments for kidney failure. The type of treatment that works best for you will depend on the reason for your kidney failure, your health condition and other factors.
Dialysis is a common form of treatment that filters and purifies the blood in your body, using a machine. The machine actually performs the function of the kidneys. Depending on the type of dialysis, you may be connected to a large machine or even a portable catheter bag. During this process you may need to follow a low-potassium, low-salt diet.
Dialysis doesn’t cure kidney failure, but it can definitely extend your life span if you go to regularly scheduled treatments.
Kidney transplant is another treatment option. A transplanted kidney can work normally and dialysis is no longer needed. However there’s usually a long wait to receive the right donor whose kidney is compatible with your body. If you have a living donor the process may go more quickly.
You must take immunosuppressive drugs after the surgery to prevent your body from rejecting the new kidney. These drugs have their own side effects, some of which are serious. Transplant surgery might not be the right treatment option for everyone and sometimes it is even unsuccessful.
Kidney Failure Diet
If you are suffering from kidney failure, there are strict guidelines for what you eat. It mostly depends on the stage of kidney disease you have and your individual health but common doctor recommendations might include:
Limited intake of sodium and potassium. Keeping track of it in your regular meals.
Limit the amount of phosphorus you eat in a day.
Follow protein guidelines. In early and moderate stages of the disease, you might want to cut down on protein consumption. In end-stage of kidney failure, you may need to eat more protein, depending on your doctor’s recommendations.
Beyond these general kidney diet guidelines, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk for kidney failure.
Always follow directions when taking over-the-counter medications.
Never take doses that are too high as this can overload your kidneys.
Conclusion
Kidney function test can be booked simply in a click, through MediBuddy. If you have any concerns about your kidneys, don’t hesitate to consult doctor online on MediBuddy App.
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