In most cases chronic kidney disease progresses without presenting symptoms until it reaches its most advanced stage. However, there may be some signs like:
- Nausea and vomiting;
- Loss of appetite without apparent cause;
- Excessive tiredness during the day;
- Difficulty getting to sleep;
- Changes in the amount of urine during the day;
- Difficulty concentrating or thinking;
- Muscle cramps or tremors;
- Constant itching throughout the body;
- Swelling of the feet and hands;
- Constant shortness of breath sensation.
Generally chronic kidney disease is more common in people who suffer from high blood pressure or diabetes but who do not do the proper treatment. This is because excess blood pressure in the vessels and elevated blood sugar levels cause lesions in the small blood vessels of the kidneys that, over time, lose their ability to properly filter blood and eliminate toxins.
As this is a silent disease, it is advised that people at greater risk, such as seniors or patients with high blood pressure or uncontrolled diabetes, take urine and blood tests once a year to assess the quality of kidney filtration.
What can cause kidney disease
Kidney changes are usually caused by other health problems such as:
- Uncontrolled diabetes;
- High pressure;
- Inflammation of the kidneys;
- Benign hypertrophy of the prostate;
- Recurrent kidney infections.
After identifying chronic kidney disease, it is important to know what the specific cause is causing kidney damage, in order to initiate appropriate treatment and prevent the situation from worsening.
How is the treatment done?
The most important step in treating chronic kidney disease is to identify what is causing kidney damage and begin treatment for this problem. That way, if it is possible to eliminate the cause it is possible to cure the kidney disease, if it is in a little advanced stage.
In addition, it is recommended to take a diet with a higher amount of carbohydrates and a lower amount of protein, sodium and potassium to facilitate the functioning of the kidneys. Learn more about how this issue should be addressed.
In more severe cases, where the disease is too advanced or the cause can not be identified, kidney damage can lead to kidney failure, which needs to be treated with frequent dialysis or kidney transplants, for example.
