Kidneys filter the waste products and remove excess water and impurities from the blood. These toxins are stored in the bladder and eliminated from the body during urination. Kidneys regulate the potassium, salt, and pH levels in the body and produce hormones. They also aid in calcium absorption. About 26 million individuals in the country suffer from kidney disease. Read on to know about the condition’s causes, symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment options.

Causes of kidney disease
Diabetes and high blood pressure are the two primary causes of kidney disease; however, there are several other factors that can also lead to it.

• A hereditary disorder known as polycystic kidney disease, which causes cysts to grow in the kidneys, hampering their ability to functiton.
• Glomerulonephritis or inflammation of the kidney’s filtering units.
• Interstitial nephritis or inflammation of the kidney’s tubules and the surrounding structure.
• Prolonged urinary tract obstruction from conditions such as cancers, kidney stones, and enlarged prostate.
• Chronic hypertension leads to hypertensive nephrosclerosis, which causes damage to the kidneys.
• Pyelonephritis or recurrent kidney infection.
• Immune system diseases such as lupus result in kidney problems, such as sarcoidosis, polyarteritis nodosa, and Goodpasture Syndrome.
• Vesicoureteral reflux, which causes urine to travel back to the kidneys.

Symptoms of kidney disease
Most people do not experience any severe symptoms till the disease progresses significantly. Given below are some of the common signs that may be noticed earlier.

• Poor appetite
• Fatigue and weakness
• Inability to concentrate
• Inability to sleep properly
• Muscle cramps at night
• Swollen ankle and feet
• Dry, itchy skin
• Puffiness around the eyes
• Urinating more or less
• Nausea
• Decreased mental sharpness
• Vomiting
• High blood pressure usually difficult to control
• Breathlessness
• Chest pain

Risk factors
Certain risk factors also aggravate one’s susceptibility to the condition. These include:

• Being over the age of 60
• Having a family history of kidney disease
• Having a heart disease
• Having sustained a previous kidney damage

Diagnosis of kidney disease
For kidney disease diagnosis, the doctor checks for signs and inquires about your existing symptoms. In addition, the following tests help with diagnosis:

• Imaging tests
  The doctor may recommend ultrasound scans to determine the kidney’s shape and size. In some rare cases, CT scans and MRI may be recommended.
• Urine test
  A urine test helps determine the presence of albumin in the urine. The presence of albumin indicates kidney damage.
• GFR
  The GFR tests help assess the kidney’s ability to filter waste.
• Chest X-ray
  X-rays check for signs of fluid retention in the lungs.

Treatment for kidney disease
The choice of treatment depends on the type and cause of kidney disease. Unfortunately, chronic kidney disease is incurable. However, most treatments help better symptom management. They slow down disease progression and lower complications.

Treating the cause
Herein, the doctor aims to control the cause of kidney disease. So, treatment will be cause-dependent.

Treating the complications
Some treatment measures used here include:

• Remedies to lower blood pressure
  Lowering blood pressure helps preserve kidney function. The doctor may advise a low-salt meal plan.
• Vitamin D and calcium supplements
  These help strengthen the bones and reduce the risk of fracture.
• Phosphate binder to treat calcification
  Excessive phosphate in the blood causes calcium deposits, which can damage the blood vessels. To avoid this, the doctor recommends phosphate binders.
• A low protein meal plan
  This ensures there are minimal waste products in the blood, thereby helping reduce the pressure on the kidneys.

Additional treatment measures for end-stage disease
If you develop near-complete or complete kidney failure, the doctor may recommend a kidney transplant or dialysis. If a kidney transplant or dialysis is not an option, the healthcare professional may advise conservative measures to help with symptom management.

Unfortunately, kidney disease aggravates over time, causing the organs to stop working altogether. Hence, timely diagnosis and treatment are very important.