What are the different types of kidney problems and their symptoms?

What is kidney disease?

Consider this, what would have happened if there were no mechanism to pass the waste out of the body? The body would have been a pile of toxins, leaving us all sick.rnWhatever we consume, be it food or drinks, the body consumes what is needed, and the rest is excreted out. There are organs that help eliminate the excess of such waste, and the kidney is one of them. The kidneys are the blood filters of the body that help you get rid of excess fluids including the waste not needed in the blood. It helps the body maintain pH and electrolyte balance, promotes the health of the bones, secrete important hormones for vitality and whatnot.

To sum up, the kidneys are the host of functional benefits for the health. If you ever get sick with kidney disease, your life is at risk. Kidney disease affects a large number of people yearly. Kidney disease occurs when the kidneys are unable to perform most of their work and are at the edge of damage. Damage can be caused by a variety of factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, and various other chronic conditions. If the damage is not controlled, you likely need dialysis, transplant, and Ayurvedic treatment to get better with the disease.

The different types of kidney problems

Chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease means the damage to the kidneys has been slow for you to notice it. CKD can be classified as a slow and gradual decline in kidney function that does not improve with time. Mostly, it is caused by diabetes and high blood pressure. Later in your life, both these conditions will weaken or damage the small blood vessels, and eventually, the kidney function stops.

ayurvedic medicine for kidney failure

High blood pressure is when the blood flow is too high to cause wear and tear to the blood capillaries in the body. Glomeruli, the tiny blood vessels in the kidneys, also get affected in the process. Glomeruli are meant to filter the blood in the kidneys. So any damage to them leads to impaired kidney function.

Diabetes is also a cause of chronic kidney disease. Too much blood sugar in the kidneys can load them as they have to work hard to remove excess glucose (sugar). If this happens for an extended time and you do not manage diabetes, you will likely get CKD later in your life. This may happen post 4 to 5 years of diagnosis of diabetes.

Signs of chronic kidney disease

• fatigue
• poor concentration
• frequent urination
• trouble sleeping
• poor appetite
• muscle cramping
• swelling around the lower extremities
• puffiness around the eyes in the morning
• dry and scaly skin

The best options to get away with chronic kidney disease are dialysis, transplant, and Ayurveda.

Acute kidney disease

It is a type of disease that abruptly leads to damage to the kidneys. When the kidneys lose their filtering capacity, the levels of fluid and waste may rise substantially, which is a problem for the health. The body’s chemical balance may disturb, and you need treatment for the same.

The only difference between AKI and CKD is in how the damage has progressed. That being said, there are no significant differences in how it affects an individual.

Signs of acute kidney injury

• Low urine output or probably no urine
• Fluid retention causing swelling
• Shortness of breath
• Irregular heartbeat
• Chest pain or pressure
• Seizures or coma in severe cases

Kidney stones

Kidney stones are another type of kidney disease. Stones are hard deposits of acid and minerals that stick together in the urine, which is a little concentrated. Passing kidney stones can be painful, especially when it passes through the urinary tract. Stones can be life-threatening when they grow larger in size and trigger the working of the other units in the body.

Signs of kidney stones

Pain in the part of the body where the stone is-

• Pain which goes severe, sharp, or sudden
• Painful urination
• Nausea or vomiting
• Blood instances in urine or frequent urination
• Sweating, but this is rare

Glomerulonephritis

Glomerulonephritis is characterized by instances of inflammation in the parts of the kidneys. As you know, glomeruli are small structures in the kidneys that remove the toxins in the blood. There could be several reasons for glomerulonephritis, such as infections, congenital abnormalities, drugs, autoimmune disorders such as IgA nephropathy, etc. Taken the treatment, it gets better without progressing into daunting situations.

Symptoms of glomerulonephritis

• Pink or cola-colored urine due to red blood cells in your urine.
• Foamy urine when the urine has too much protein called albumin.
• High blood pressure.
• Fluid retention making swelling in the body a little severe. Swelling may extend to the lower extremities.

Polycystic kidney disease

Polycystic kidney disease is an innate condition that triggers the growth of numerous cysts on the kidneys. The sac-like growth on the kidneys may interfere with their function and cause kidney failure. PKD is different from simple cysts that may grow anywhere in the kidneys. PKD is noncancerous, but complications of it can be life-threatening. There are two different types of PKD, namely, Autosomal dominant PKD and Autosomal recessive PKD. Depending upon the type of PKD, different signs can be observed.

Signs of polycystic kidney disease

• High blood pressure
• Back or side pain
• A feeling of fullness in your abdomen
• Increased size of your abdomen due to enlarged kidneys
• Headaches
• Blood in the urine
• Kidney stones
• Growth failure in babies
• Muscle and bone disorders
• Kidney failure

Urinary tract infections

Infections in the urinary tract also affect the kidneys. They are bacterial infections in the parts of the urinary tract. UTIs are treatable and rarely cause you serious health issues. But if left untreated, they may lead to infections in the kidneys. Recurrent kidney infections, called pyelonephritis, can be life-threatening as they may cause chronic kidney disease.

Signs of urinary tract infections

• Pain or a burning sensation when passing the urine
• Night urination (nocturia)
• Urine that looks cloudy or foamy
• Frequent urination
• Blood in the urine
• Pain in the back, just under the ribs or lower abdomen