The kidneys are powerful chemical factories that perform a lot of functions in order to make man’s body to be healthy.
Such functions include; the removal of waste products from the body, remove drugs from the body, balance the body’s fluids, release hormones that regulate blood pressure, produce an active form of vitamin D that promotes strong, healthy bones and control the production of red blood cells.
However, if one’s kidneys are affected, one stands a risk because most of the above functions will not be worked upon, here are some of the conditions that affect kidneys.
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
According to Dr Minesh Khatri, MD, the assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University, when health problems affect one’s kidneys, they can cause CKD. This is permanent damage that may get worse over time. If they’re so damaged that they stop working, it’s called kidney failure, or end-stage renal disease (ESRD).
He explains that the treatment is usually either dialysis when a machine does the work your kidneys normally do, or a transplant when you get a new healthy kidney from a donor.
Diabetes
Is the leading cause of kidney failure and damages the organs’ small blood vessels and filters. That makes it difficult for them to clean one’s blood. Man’s body holds on to more salt and water than it should, and there’s more waste in your system. Nerve damage caused by the disease can make urine back up and harm your kidneys through pressure or infection.
High blood pressure
If the force of blood flowing through your body is too high, it can stretch and scar and weaken your blood vessels, including the ones in your kidneys. This can keep them from getting rid of waste the way they should, and the extra fluid in your blood vessels can raise your blood pressure even more, leading to a dangerous cycle. It’s treated with medication and changes to things like your diet, exercise habits, and stress level.
Lupus
This is a disease that makes one’s immune system attack certain parts of his/her body. When it affects your kidneys, it’s called lupus nephritis. It causes inflammation and scarring of the small blood vessels that filter waste out of your kidneys, and sometimes in your kidneys as well. It’s treated with different medications: Some affect your immune system, while others help control your blood pressure or get rid of swelling and excess fluid.
Urine Blockage
If you can’t pee, that can mean urine is backed up, and that can damage your kidneys. It can cause pressure and lead to infection in your kidneys and other parts of your body. An enlarged prostate, prostate cancer, kidney stones, bladder cancer, urinary tract blood clots, and colon cancer are some of the things that can cause this. See your doctor if you’re peeing much less or much more often than usual or if you see blood in your urine.
Blood clots
Many conditions can cause blood clots, but a blood disorder — thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura — is commonly linked to kidney problems. It causes clots in tiny blood vessels that also can affect your brain and heart. Symptoms include fever, bleeding from your nose or gums, diarrhoea, chest pain, confusion, headache, bruising, and feeling very tired. It can be serious if it’s not treated quickly, so see a doctor if you have any of these signs.
Polycystic Kidney Disease
This causes cysts — small sores often filled with fluid — to grow inside your kidneys. That makes them much larger than they should be and damages their tissue. It’s caused by problem genes you get from one of your parents. If it’s not diagnosed and managed soon enough, it can lead to chronic kidney disease and, eventually, to end-stage renal disease.
ANCA Vasculitis
This is when one’s antibodies which usually fight germs attack the small blood vessels in the kidneys and other organs. It may lead to blood and protein in your urine and can cause kidney failure. You may have a fever, body aches, joint and muscle pain, and brown, tea-coloured pee.
Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome
This happens when small blood vessels in the kidney and other organs get damaged. That can eventually cause kidney failure. It happens after 5 to 10 days of diarrhoea, usually brought on by an infection, like from E. coli bacteria, or certain medications. Most people recover if it’s treated quickly. See your doctor if you have several days of diarrhoea, aren’t peeing often, and are very tired. You also may get bruises or unusual bleeding.
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