One of the best ways to keep your body in shape is by maintaining healthy kidneys. Kidneys are essential as they ensure the regular cleaning of the body fluids. A slight issue there can land you in severe conditions. There are many kinds of diseases related to kidneys, but they all have one vital way to prevent them; a healthy diet, hydration, and a healthy lifestyle. To learn more about some of these diseases and ways to treat them, here is everything;
What Is It?
Thirty-seven million people in the United States are living with chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD is a slow and progressive disease that gets worse over time. In its last stage, CKD is called kidney failure, or end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Failed kidneys are incompatible with life, and the person becomes dependent on dialysis to survive until a kidney donor can be arranged.
What Causes It?
Anyone can get CKD. Some people are more at risk than others. Diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertension), heart disease, having a family member with kidney disease, being African-American, Hispanic, Native American, or Asian, and being over 60 years old are just some risk factors that can predispose you to have CKD.
How Do I Know My Kidneys Are Failing?
The signs and symptoms include, but are not limited to, itching, nausea, vomiting, low appetite, swelling in your feet and ankles, low or high urine production, and shortness of breath. If the disease has progressed more acutely, symptoms can include belly pain, back pain, diarrhea, fever, nosebleeds, etc. It is important to get examined by your doctor if you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above.
What Do I Do if I Have Risk Factors?
If you have a higher risk, then it is important to have regular checkups with your doctor. Maintain reasonable control of blood sugar if you have diabetes, monitor your blood pressure if you have high blood pressure. Eat healthily, exercise regularly, lose weight if you are overweight. If you smoke, try and quit smoking. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink. These strategies also prevent kidney diseases from getting worse. If kidney disease is not prevented or treated appropriately, it can progress to full-blown kidney failure.
How Is Kidney Failure Treated?
There are two treatments for kidney failure – dialysis and transplantation. A dialysis machine works exactly like the human kidney and filters out the waste. It is of different types, and patients may need more than one session per week to adequately keep the levels of waste products low in the blood. A kidney transplant is an operation that places a new kidney inside your body. The new kidney may come from a living donor (usually a relative or friend) or someone who died and wanted to be an organ donor. After a kidney transplant, the patient usually needs to take many steroids and other medications to prevent the body from rejecting them.
The kidneys need to perform correctly and stay healthy. They regulate a lot of essential functions in the body. This is why you shouldn’t ignore any signs and symptoms of the kidneys’ ill functionality. To help you further, a good health insurance policy quote will give better rates and quality treatment. So do some market research, compare the quotes and the services. Get the best provider, and understand the terms and conditions before signing the policy. Once you are done, you are all covered. So do not procrastinate and start the application now!
