Factors Leading To Chronic Kidney Disease

Published by Fastr Blog,



Kidneys are responsible for filtering wastes and excess fluids from blood, which get excreted in the urine. Chronic kidney disease is defined as the slow, gradual loss of kidney function. It is quite different from acute kidney failure, as in case of chronic kidney disease; even if one kidney stops working the other one continues working normally.

However, if the chronic kidney disease is not treated timely, it would lead to acute kidney failure wherein both the kidneys will stop functioning.

When the chronic kidney disease reaches the advanced stage, harmful levels of excess fluid and wastes get built up in the body; which poses a great threat to health. Ideally, the only possible treatment for complete kidney failure is a kidney transplant. However, that again depends on the extent of failure, your medical condition and availability of the donor kidney.

In order to avail timely treatment for chronic kidney failure, knowing the symptoms play a crucial role. But, in the early stages, chronic kidney disease doesn’t really come up with any noticeable symptoms. The signs usually start surfacing when the kidney function has been considerably impaired.

Symptoms of kidney disease
Some of the symptoms that start surfacing as the kidney disease progresses to its advanced stage include the following:

  • Nausea
  • Fatigue and weakness
  • Vomiting
  • Loss of appetite
  • Sleep troubles
  • Decreased mental sharpness
  • Muscle twitches and cramps
  • Swelling of feet and ankles
  • Constant itching
  • Shortness of breath, when fluid builds up in the lungs
  • High blood pressure

The warning symptoms of kidney disease are not very precise because they can even be related to other health disorders. People often confuse these symptoms with other diseases that eventually causes a delay in the treatment plan.

As human kidneys are very adaptable and can compensate for the lost functions, symptoms generally don’t show up until permanent damage has occurred.

Factors that lead to kidney disease

There are many diseases and health conditions that increase your risk of suffering from kidney disease in the near future. Some of the diseases that can make you prone to chronic kidney disease are:

  • Type 1 or type 2 diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Glomerulonephritis, inflammation of kidney's filtering units (glomeruli)
  • Polycystic kidney disease
  • Blockage of the urinary tract, owing to an enlarged prostate, certain kinds of cancer or kidney stones
  • Recurrent kidney infection, pyelonephritis

Diagnosis & Treatment of Kidney Disease

Kidney disease diagnosis is carried out through various tests and medical examinations targeted at monitoring the kidney functioning. Kidney failure also has stages, just like cancer, and the treatment plan for stage 3 kidney disease is designed based on the test results. Some of the commonly conducted tests include:

Blood tests: You will be recommended blood tests which are used to test the functioning of kidney. For the same, level of waste products, like creatinine and urea will be tested in your blood. Your nephrologists can recommend blood tests for stage 3 kidney disease treatment in Ahmedabad.

Urine tests: Urine sample is tested to look for abnormalities hinting at chronic kidney failure, it can even help in identifying the precise cause that led to kidney failure.
Imaging tests: An ultrasound is used to determine the structure and size of your kidneys. Your doctor can also recommend other imaging tests in case of stage 3 kidney disease treatment in Ahmedabad, this helps in planning more precise treatment modules.

Testing kidney tissue sample: A kidney biopsy may be recommended to cut out a sample of kidney tissue. The removal is generally done under local anesthesia with the help of a long, thin needle inserted through your skin and into your kidney. The sample is tested in the lab to determine the exact cause of kidney disease. It is often used to determine chronic kidney disease treatment.

Once the diagnosis is done, the right kidney disease treatment in Ahmedabad is chosen. The main objective of a chronic kidney disease treatment is to slow down the advancement of further kidney damage, by managing the root cause of the problem. If the chronic kidney disease is not diagnosed and treated on time, it progresses to acute kidney failure - a fatal condition which can only be managed with a dialysis or kidney transplant.

At Shalby Hospitals Ahmedabad, we bring to you a range of comprehensive solutions for treating kidney disease. Our expert Nephrologists use the latest treatment modalities backed by advanced medical technology. Right from diagnosis to the treatment plan, we take complete care of your health.