Nausea
The toxins in the blood can create feelings of nausea, and possibly vomiting. When the individual is taking medication to treat other conditions such as blood pressure, it is often difficult to take the medication when nausea keeps them from wanting to eat or drink and vomiting removes stomach contents before the medication can be absorbed into the system.
Shortness of breath
The excess water that the kidneys fail to remove from the
blood can also travel to and accumulate in the lungs, meaning that the
individual would experience a shortness of breath. In addition, the kidneys may no longer be
producing nephrons that would tell the brain to create oxygen rich red blood
cells. The lack of plentiful red blood
cells leaves the body starved for oxygen, and shortness of breath results.
Dizziness / unable to concentrate
The same anemia that is caused by the lack of oxygen in
the blood is also causing a shortage of oxygen to the brain. The brain depends upon oxygen to help with
memory and concentration, and a lack of oxygen will mean there will a
difficulty in remembering even the most recent events. It will also be hard to concentrate on one
thing for any length of time. The oxygen
starved brain will also react by an equilibrium loss, causing dizziness.
Leg pain
Not all kidney diseases carry the symptom leg pain. One hereditary disorders of the kidney,
called polycystic kidney disease, involves large cysts growing within the
kidneys and sometimes the liver. The
cysts fill with fluid, expanding their size so that the additional weight
places pressure on the organs and causes pain.
Lower back pain, side aches and leg aches combine with pressure on the
bladder to give the sufferer a miserable night when trying to sleep.
Different types of kidney disease can have different
causes, and different symptoms. While
these are the major kidney disease symptoms, they may not all be experienced by
the individual at the same time. Kidney
disease can often be a progressive one.
Some of the diseases are hereditary, others congenital and yet others
can be acquired. There are numerous
acquired diseases, many of which can be controlled with care and preventative
measures. Others progress to kidney
failure.
It is important to report any of these symptoms to your
doctor when they occur so that an accurate diagnosis can be made as to the type
of disorder you may have. Blood and
urine tests that will examine the operative function of the kidney will be
conducted. The symptoms may be
determined to be a result of an infection of the kidneys, or perhaps calcified
stones that have developed in the kidneys.
There may be a chronic inflammation of the glomerulus, which is the most
common type of kidney disease; an acquired disorder. The tests that the doctor will perform will
be able to pinpoint the cause of the symptoms so that treatment can begin.
It is important to keep kidneys healthy. Drinking plenty of fluids helps the kidneys
to flush waste from the blood. If high
blood pressure is in issue, controlling it and keeping the pressure down
through medication can keep the kidneys from being adversely affected. A long history with diabetes can also lead to
serious issues for the kidneys. Being
strict in maintaining healthy and normal blood sugar levels helps to reduce
this risk. Illegal drug use, pesticides
and toxins can also wreak havoc on kidney function, as does certain
prescription medication. Avoiding
illicit drugs and your exposure to pesticides and environmental toxins will
play a big part in keeping healthy kidneys.
Read the labels of all prescription medication, and if kidney function
is threatened through its use, talk to your doctor about how to combat the
threat.
Kidney disease symptoms can often mimic other less
threatening disorders. It is important
to take any of the above listed symptoms seriously until the doctor confirms
they are not. In early stages, almost
all of kidney disorders can be effectively treated to prevent them from getting
worse, and in many cases, returning the kidneys back to their normal healthy
state.
Everyone should be in tune with their bodies; being aware
of any change in bodily functions no matter how slight they may seem. By doing so, disorders such as kidney
diseases can be caught in the early stages, avoiding any serious or even life
threatening dangers.
Health