Your fist-sized kidneys are important for your overall health. They are responsible for filtering waste products and excess water from your body. They also play a vital role in the regulation of pH, salt and potassium, absorption of vitamin D, and production of a hormone that regulates the blood pressure and controls the production of red blood cells.
If your kidneys are damaged, all of these vital functions are affected.
Kidney Disease Causes
About 26 million Americans are affected by kidney disease.
Kidney diseases may be brought by hypertension, diabetes, or other long-term diseases. Having a kidney disease doesn’t just affect your quality of life; it can also increase your chances of developing other conditions.
The Types of Kidney Disease
There are different types of diseases affecting your kidneys. This includes:
Chronic kidney disease
Both hypertension and diabetes are major predisposing factors of chronic kidney disease.
High blood pressure is harmful to your kidneys as it can increase the pressure within the tiny blood vessels in the organ (also known as the glomeruli). Over time, this increased pressure can damage these blood vessels, ultimately leading to kidney damage and loss of function.
Just like with high blood pressure, diabetes can also lead to chronic kidney disease as too much sugar in the blood can damage the glomeruli.
Glomerulonephritis
Also known as inflammation of the glomeruli, glomerulonephritis is a kidney condition usually caused by the use of certain medications, congenital abnormalities, or infections.
Kidney stones
Kidney stones are a common disease affecting the kidneys. The stones develop as a result of the crystallization of minerals and other substances in the kidneys.
Although they rarely cause significant problems, urinating or passing out kidney stones are very painful.
Symptoms to watch out for
Kidney disease is one of those conditions that often go unnoticed until you are in a late stage of the disease.
The following are some of the symptoms of the disease in the early stages. It’s important to watch out for these as treatment outcomes for kidney disease are better when it’s treated early:
- Difficulty sleeping
- Difficulty concentrating
- Fatigue
- Poor appetite
- Dry, scaly skin
- Frequent urination
- Muscle cramping
- Puffiness around the eyes
- Swollen feet
If you notice any of these, schedule an appointment with your provider immediately for evaluation.
Kidney Dialysis
If your kidney disease progresses to end-stage kidney failure where you have lost much of your kidney function, dialysis treatments are recommended. Dialysis removes waste from your body and helps your kidneys function.
The Vascular Surgeons of Premier Surgical are experts in installing different types of dialysis access that allow your blood to travel into the dialysis machine where it is cleaned and filtered. The physicians work with patients to help them maintain healthy and functioning vascular access as they undergo kidney dialysis.
For more information about the Premier Surgical Access Center in Knoxville, visit https://www.premiersurgical.com/premier-surgical-services/vascular-access/ or call at (865) 306-57555.