Early Signs Of Kidney Disease Most People Miss: Types And Symptoms You Should Know

Early Signs Of Kidney Disease:  Kidneys filter waste products and extra fluid from our blood, regulate minerals such as potassium and sodium, control our blood pressure, and produce hormones that help our body make red blood cells and maintain strong bones. Reports online suggest that kidney disease is often insidious and can progress without our knowledge until the disease is advanced.

Therefore, to know more about kidney-related disease, The Daily Jagran turned to Dr Moumita Misra, Head- Lab Operations (Mumbai), Metropolis Healthcare Limited. She stated, “Kidney disease has emerged as a significant health issue worldwide, and approximately 850 million patients worldwide are suffering from kidney diseases, including chronic kidney disease (CKD).”

Do You Know?

The Global Burden of Disease Study highlights that chronic kidney disease ranks among the ten deadliest illnesses, causing approximately 1.3 to 1.5 million deaths each year. Experts warn that by 2040, it could escalate to being one of the top five leading causes of mortality worldwide. This alarming trend is largely driven by the increasing prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, which are contributing factors to the rise in kidney disease cases.

Why Kidney-Related Diseases Are On Rise?

1. Two major health problems, such as Diabetes and hypertension, are considered major health problems that lead to an increase in kidney-related diseases. Uncontrolled diabetes is known to damage the kidneys over a period of time.

2. Lack of awareness is also considered to be one of the major factors that increase kidney-related diseases.

3. Economic impact because kidney-related diseases require costly treatments such as dialysis or transplant. It is a costly and time-consuming treatment. People suffering from kidney failure may not be able to afford such costly treatments.

Types of Kidney Diseases:

1. Chronic Kidney Disease:

It is a condition where there is a slow loss of filtering ability of the kidneys over time. It is usually caused by diabetes or hypertension.

2. Acute Kidney Injury:

It is a sudden loss of kidney function that may be caused by severe infection, dehydration, or injury. With proper treatment, however, normal kidney function may resume.

3. Kidney Stones:

Kidney stones are usually made of minerals and salts that form in the kidneys. Kidney stones may lead to severe pain and difficulty passing urine.

4. Glomerulonephritis:

It is an inflammation of the glomeruli, which is usually caused by infections, autoimmune diseases, or other systemic diseases.

5. Polycystic Kidney Disease:

It is a genetic disorder characterised by multiple cysts filled with fluid that develop on the kidneys over time, thereby impairing normal kidney functions.

6. Kidney Infection:

It is usually referred to as pyelonephritis and is usually caused by bacteria from other parts of the urinary system.

Early Signs Of Kidney Disease Most People Miss: Symptoms Of Kidney Disease

One of the biggest challenges faced by patients suffering from kidney disease is that they are not able to detect the obvious symptoms until the disease is already in its advanced stage. However, some of the early signs and symptoms that may be observed include:

* Fatigue and weakness
* Swelling on the feet, ankles, and even on the face
* Changes in the pattern of urination
* Nausea and vomiting
* Loss of appetite
* Difficulty in breathing
* Difficulty in concentrating
* High blood pressure that is hard to control

The good news is that many cases of kidney disease can be prevented and even slowed down with early medication and expert intervention. Health experts advise patients on several preventive measures that can slow down the progression of the disease, including eating a balanced diet, controlling high blood pressure and high blood sugar, exercising regularly, increasing fluid intake, and avoiding painkillers and other harmful medications.

Lastly, regular screening tests, like blood creatinine tests and urine tests, can help detect kidney disease at an early stage. Patients suffering from diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and those with a family history of kidney disease should also regularly undergo health check-ups.