Kidneys are responsible for filtering waste from the body. Kidney diseases can affect your health in various ways. Here are signs of kidney disease you must watch out for.
Drinking enough water can help you keep kidneys healthy
HIGHLIGHTS
- A healthy diet and lifestyle supports kidney health
- Consume less salt for healthy kidneys
- Maintain a healthy weight for healthy kidneys
Kidneys are important organs that eliminate the waste products from the body and balance the volume of water. It also produces hormones that regulate some important body functions like regulating blood pressure, making of red blood cells in blood and strengthening bones. Many people in the beginning stage of kidney disease do not show any symptoms, hence it becomes all the more important to get tested and know your kidney health. Once the kidney gets damaged the filtering of blood is stopped which leads to piling up of fluids and waste in the body and this shows out symptoms such as poor sleep, nausea, and shortness of breath, weakness and swelling in the ankles.
Some of the symptoms and early signs of kidney disease:
- Pain in the chest
- Issues with sound sleep
- Difficulty in breathing
- Dry and scaly skin
- Frequent urination at night
- Swelling around the eyes
- Loss of appetite
- Swollen ankles and feet
- Muscle cramping
- Tiredness
- Poor Concentration
If condition of kidney disease gets severe, other symptoms develop and make you feel even sicker. You may develop complications like high blood pressure, anemia, weak bones, poor nutritional health and nerve damage, changes in urine output, decreased sex drive, fluid retention and vomiting and nausea. These problems may happen slowly over a long period of time.
Also read: 5 Golden Rules To Keep Your Kidneys Healthy
Anyone can get this disease at any age. However, some people are more likely than others to develop kidney disease. You may have an increased risk for kidney disease if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) disease, excessive smoking habit, obesity, family history of kidney disease, abnormal kidney structure and older age.
Also read: Make These 5 Resolutions To Keep Your Kidneys Healthy
Loss of appetite can be a sign of kidney disease
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Early detection and treatment
When kidney disease progresses, it may eventually lead to kidney failure, which requires dialysis or a kidney transplant to maintain life. There's no cure for reversal of kidney disease, but treatment can help relieve the symptoms and stop it getting worse. The survival rate increases if kidney diseases are diagnosed earlier. Doctors provide treatments depending on the severity of the disease. Not all kidney disease patients will undergo the same treatment. Early detection and treatment can often keep it from getting worse.
Also read: Are You At A Risk Of Kidney Disease? Know Major Risk Factors Here
For reducing the risk, you need to follow healthy lifestyle and protect your kidneys by preventing or managing health conditions that cause kidney damage, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
- Follow a low-salt, low-fat diet
- Exercise at least 30 minutes on most days of the week
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Explore stress reducing activities to incorporate in your daily life
- Have regular check-ups with your doctor
- Do not smoke or use tobacco.
- Limit alcohol intake
- Avoid /limit taking too many pain killers without prescription
Also, one should understand that the symptoms and severity of the disease get complicated at the later stages.
(Dr. Prerna Agarwal, Technical operations, Apollo Diagnostics - Chennai)
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