Causes & symptoms of
Chronic Kidney Disease
Causes & symptoms of Chronic Kidney Disease
Chronic kidney disease, also called chronic kidney failure, involves gradually losing kidney function. Your kidneys filter waste products and excess fluids from the blood, which are then removed through the urine. Advanced chronic kidney disease can cause dangerous fluid, electrolytes, and waste levels to build up in your body.
There are few signs or symptoms in the early stages of chronic kidney disease. You may only realize you have kidney disease once the condition is advanced.
Treatment for chronic kidney disease focuses on slowing the progression of kidney damage, usually by controlling the cause. But even maintaining the reason may not prevent the passage of kidney damage. Chronic kidney disease can progress to end-stage kidney failure, fatal without artificial filtration (dialysis) or a kidney transplant.
Symptoms
1-Nausea
2-Vomiting
3-Loss of appetite
4-Fatigue and weakness
5-Sleep problems
6-More or less urine
7-Reduced mental acuity
8-Muscle spasms
9-Swelling of feet and ankles
10-Dry, itchy skin
11-High blood pressure (hypertension) that is difficult to control
12-Shortness of breath if fluid accumulates in the lungs
13-Chest pain if fluid builds up around the lining of the heart
Signs and symptoms of kidney disease are often nonspecific. This means that other conditions can also cause them. Because your kidneys can replace the lost function, you may not develop signs and symptoms until the damage is irreversible.
Causes
Risk factors
Factors that may increase the risk of chronic kidney disease are:
Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart (cardiovascular) disease, smoking, obesity, black, Native American, or Asian American, family history of kidney disease, abnormal kidney structure, older age, frequent use of medications that can damage the kidneys
Prevention
To reduce your risk of developing kidney disease:
Follow the directions for over-the-counter medications. Follow package directions when using over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), and acetaminophen (Tylenol). Taking too many painkillers for a long time could lead to kidney damage.
Maintain a healthy weight. If you are at a healthy weight, maintain it by being physically active most days of the week. Talk to your doctor about healthy weight loss strategies if you need to lose weight.
Don't smoke. Cigarette smoking can damage your kidneys and worsen existing kidney damage. If you are a smoker, talk to your doctor about strategies to quit smoking. Support groups, counseling, and medication can help you stop.
Manage your health conditions with the help of your doctor. If you have diseases or conditions that increase your risk of kidney disease, work with your doctor to get them under control. Ask your doctor about tests to detect signs of kidney damage.