What is kidney failure?
Kidney failure (also called renal failure) means one or both kidneys can no longer function well on their own. Sometimes, kidney failure is temporary and comes on quickly. Other times, it is a chronic condition that can get worse slowly over a long time.
Kidney failure may sound serious, and it is. But treatments such as dialysis and kidney transplant help many people with limited kidney function continue to live fulfilling lives.
Causes of Kidney Disease and Their Effect on the Kidneys
Before we begin with the causes, it is essential to understand the types of kidney diseases. Though there are various types of Kidney Diseases, all of them are clubbed into two major types. These are:
- Acute Kidney Disease — Acute Kidney Disease is the case when the kidneys stop working suddenly. It might lead to kidney failure if proper treatment is not taken in due time.
- Chronic Kidney Disease — Chronic Kidney Disease is when the kidneys are working well for more than three months. Usually, it is difficult to notice its signs earlier, it could lead to permanent kidney damage if you fail to get its treatment in due time.
Now that we know the types of Kidney Diseases, let us discuss their significant causes.
Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
In 80 percent of the total number of kidney disease cases, Hypertension or High Blood Pressure has been considered one of the major causes of Kidney Disease. Whenever a person is under stress or depression, he overthinks. As a result, the heartbeats increase rapidly, which increases the blood pressure in the arteries.
The increased blood flow in the arteries exerts heavy pressure on the arteries or blood vessels that carry the blood to all body parts. Since the kidneys have blood vessels within them that filter the blood from toxins, High Blood Pressure causes severe damage to these blood vessels. Once these blood vessels become damaged, kidneys are unable to receive enough quantity of clean blood that affects their functioning. It thus leads to kidney disease.
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Diabetes
Just like Hypertension (High Blood Pressure), both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes are also considered significant reasons behind kidney disease. If you have a habit of consuming sweets or sugar drinks, you consume excessive amounts of sugar content that get dissolved in the blood. Whenever the level of sugar content increases in the blood vessels or arteries, it ends up damaging them.
High Sugar Levels hampers these blood vessels to carry and clean the blood throughout the body. As a result, the kidneys cannot receive enough clean blood that is very required for their functioning. It thus leads to various kidney diseases. Moreover, Diabetes is also known to cause High Blood Pressure that can further deteriorate the condition.
Glomerulonephritis
Glomerulonephritis is the third major cause of kidney diseases. In most cases, it has been observed that patients with Glomerulonephritis suffer from End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), also referred to as CKD Stage 5 is the stage when the kidneys get permanently damaged, and patients are advised for kidney dialysis or kidney transplant.
Kidneys have tiny filtering units within them, known as Glomeruli. These filtering units filter the blood coming to the kidneys by removing toxins and other waste compounds from the blood. However, when these Gloemruli or Filtering units get damaged, they do not perform their functions, making it very hard to carry forward their functions. The exact cause of Glomerulonephritis is still unknown.
Genetic Disorder
In many cases, people become a victim of kidney disease because of a genetic disorder. They either get kidney disease from one of their parents or both of them. Kidney Disease like Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) is the best example of kidney disease caused by a Genetic Disorder. The patients who have defective genes either suffer the symptoms during birth or after reaching 40–50 years of age.
Hence, it does not necessarily mean that a patient with High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, or Glomerulonephritis can only get affected by kidney disease. If your parents have a history of kidney disease, there are chances that you will also suffer from such disease in the near time. Also, it must be noted that in some cases, patients get defective genes from their parents that also result in damaging the kidneys.
What are the symptoms of kidney failure?
In early stages of kidney disease, many people experience few or no symptoms. It’s important to note that chronic kidney disease can still cause damage even though you feel fine.
Chronic kidney disease and kidney failure can cause different symptoms for different people. If your kidneys aren’t working properly, you may notice one or more of the following signs:
- Fatigue (extreme tiredness)
- An upset stomach or vomiting
- Confusion or trouble concentrating
- Swelling, especially around your hands or ankles
- More frequent bathroom trips
- Muscle spasms (muscle cramps)
- Dry or itchy skin
- Poor appetite or metallic taste of food.
Diagnostic Tests
Your doctor can use several tests to diagnose kidney failure. Some of the most common tests include the following:
- Urinalysis. Your doctor may take a urine sample to test for anything unusual, including atypical protein or sugar that spills into your urine. Your doctor may also perform a urinary sediment examination to look for red and white blood cells, high levels of bacteria, and high numbers of tube shaped particles called cellular casts.
- Urine volume measurements. Measuring urine output is one of the simplest tests to help diagnose kidney failure. For example, low urinary output may suggest that kidney disease is due to a urinary blockage, which can be caused by multiple illnesses or injuries.
- Blood samples. Your doctor may order blood tests to measure substances that are filtered by your kidneys, such as blood urea nitrogen and creatinine. A rapid rise in these levels may indicate acute kidney failure.
- Imaging. Tests like ultrasounds, MRIs, and CT scans provide images of your kidneys and urinary tract to identify blockages or other problems.
- Kidney tissue sample. Tissue samples are examined for unusual deposits, scarring, or infectious organisms. Your doctor will use a kidney biopsy to collect the tissue sample.
Treatment
Several treatment options are available for kidney failure. The type of treatment you need will depend on the cause of your kidney failure as well as the stage. Therefore, it is always advisable to visit or consult your doctor always.
