Your kidneys are a system mainly responsible for removing waste from the blood and filtering clean blood into your heart to ensure your primary organs function healthily. However, genetic disorders and lifestyle factors can affect well-functioning kidneys and lead to acute or chronic kidney disease. Read on to learn more about kidney disease and how to prevent and manage symptoms.

Causes

Kidney disease causes can be classified as acute or chronic. If you have acute kidney disease, it means you either don’t have sufficient blood flow to the kidneys, have direct kidney damage, or have backed-up urine in the kidneys. On the other hand, if you have an autoimmune disease, your immune system might attack your organs and lead to acute kidney injury.

Chronic kidney disease occurs when the kidneys don’t function properly for longer than three months. In most cases, this is linked to health conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. High blood sugar levels harm the kidneys over time, while increased blood pressure leads to the wearing and tearing of the blood vessels.

Alcohol consumption is another leading cause of kidney failure. Research suggests that regularly consuming alcohol can cause a sudden drop in kidney function, increasing your risk of chronic kidney disease. Kidney changes make them less likely to filter out harmful substances, affecting other organs.

Symptoms

Even though your kidneys are typically adaptable to changes caused by health concerns, there are instances where the damage worsens over time. This leads to complications that require immediate medical attention. Mild to severe symptoms to be aware of can include:

• Swollen hands and feet.
• A need to urinate often.
• Bubbly or foamy pee.
• Consistent low energy levels.
• Darkening of your skin.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Feeling numb or having muscle cramps often.
• Loss of appetite.

Risk Factors

Various lifestyle and health factors can increase your acute or chronic kidney disease risk. Common risk factors include:

• Regular use of medications with side effects that harm your kidneys.
• Chronic health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure.
• Being overweight.
• Smoking.
• Alcohol consumption.
• Being born with abnormally structured kidneys.

Complications

If your kidneys fail to function correctly, other organs can be affected, leading to mild to severe complications. For instance, you might be vulnerable to high potassium levels, which could impair your heart health. Moreover, when your kidneys can’t remove harmful substances from your body, you can retain extra fluid, leading to swelling of your hands and feet.

Other life-threatening complications of kidney disease include:

• Reduced immune response, making you vulnerable to infections.
• Central nervous system damage, leading to seizures and declined brain function.
• Severely weakened bones increasing your risk of fractures.
• An inflammation of the heart membrane (Pericarditis).
• During pregnancy, your foetus might experience developing issues.
• Permanent kidney damage requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant to improve your chances of survival.

Prevention of Kidney Disease

Your kidneys carry out important bodily functions, such as regulating hormones to maintain adequate blood pressure levels, produce red blood cells, and ensure correct body fluid levels to help transport nutrients. These are practical tips you can follow to prevent the risk of kidney disease:

• Maintain a healthy weight to reduce the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure, forcing your kidneys to work extra hard to filter harmful substances.
• Quit smoking and avoid regular alcohol consumption, which can worsen kidney-related issues.
• Manage your existing chronic health conditions that might impair your kidneys.
• Focus on kidney superfoods such as leafy green vegetables, fruits, whole grains and nuts.
• Follow instructions and speak to your doctor when you are using over-the-counter medications that may lead to kidney damage.

Early forms of kidney disease can usually be treated. Treatment options are available to ease symptoms and lessen potentially life-threatening complications. Affinity Health provides essential healthcare coverage with Specialist visit benefits if your kidney symptoms don’t improve after doctor consultations.