Wear Compression Socks Or Leggings
Compression socks are becoming more popular and easier to find. They are available at athletic clothing stores and many online sites.
Compression socks are made to fit tight. They may even feel a little uncomfortable at first. The purpose of compression apparel is to squeeze your legs and prevent fluid from accumulating.
Why Does A Baby Have Mottled Skin
Mottled skin in newborn babies is usually the result of cutis marmorata. It is a typical physiological response to cold temperatures and does not require treatment. Babies will usually grow out of cutis marmorata within a few weeks or months, but it can persist into adulthood. Rarely, mottled skin in babies can occur because of cutaneous marmorata telangiectatica congenita, a genetic condition that causes blood vessels to form differently than usual.
Eating Too Many Green Veggies
As if you could ever imagine that you can eat too many green veggies, but actually, Dr. Lisa Ashe, Medical Director of BeWell Medicine, explains over email with Bustle, that eating too many cruciferous vegetables , can lead to excess fluid retention and bloating. Be wary of portions, so you don’t overdo it.
Don’t Miss: Can Uti Lead To Kidney Infection
Could It Be Something Else
Water retention can also be caused other serious conditions:
Deep vein thrombosis: If you have swelling in just one foot or leg, itâs possible you have a blood clot. Other signs include pain, warmth, and redness. A clot can form while youâre healing from surgery or during a long flight. This can be very dangerous, and you need to see your doctor right away.
Preeclampsia: Itâs normal for women to have swelling in their feet and legs toward the end of a pregnancy. But swelling in the hands and face could be a sign of a dangerous blood pressure problem called preeclampsia. Call your doctor if you have swelling along with headaches, blurred vision, or abdominal pain.
Other possible causes include:
- Protein loss from severe malnutrition
- Lymphedema, a rare condition that can develop if lymph nodes are damaged or removed during cancer treatment
How Is Hypervolemia Treated
Treatment for hypervolemia will usually focus on ridding the body of excess fluid. This may require taking diuretic medication to increase urine production. Your doctor will also focus on treating the underlying cause of the hypervolemia. This may mean addressing kidney, liver or heart issues. If youre diagnosed with kidney failure, your doctor may recommend starting dialysis.
Recommended Reading: How Do You Diagnose Kidney Stones
How Can Urinary Retention Be Prevented
For men:
If you have an enlarged prostate, be sure to take prostate medications as prescribed by your doctor and avoid medications associated with urinary retention, such as over-the-counter cold and allergy medications that contain decongestants.
For women:
If you have mild cystocele or rectocele, you may be able to prevent urinary retention by doing exercises to strengthen the pelvic muscles.
Kimberly-Clark Australia makes no warranties or representations regarding the completeness or accuracy of the information. This information should be used only as a guide and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional medical or other health professional advice.
Healthdirect.gov.au, . Urinary retention. Available at: .
http://www.health.qld.gov.au, . Adult Urinary Obstruction, Retention and Bladder Scanning. Available at: .
John P. Cunha, F. . Urinary Retention: Get the Facts on Causes and Treatment. MedicineNet. Available at: .
Kidney.niddk.nih.gov, . Urinary Retention – National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Available at: .
Knott, MD, L. . Acute Urinary Retention. Information about AUR. Patient | Patient.co.uk. Patient.co.uk. Available at: .
Symptoms & Causes Of Water Retention Because Of Kidney Disease
Water or fluid retention, also called as edema indicates the accumulation of clear yet watery fluid in an abnormal manner in the cavities or tissues present in the human body. In simple words, fluid/water retention or edema takes place by the excess amount of trapped fluid in the tissues of a human body. The problem may affect almost every part of ones body individuals may often notice the problem more in the arms, hands, legs, feet and ankles. Edema or water retention may be caused because of many reasons, but it is very common because of kidney problems in patients.
Read Also: Can Sweet Tea Give You Kidney Stones
Final Thoughts On Things That Cause Water Retention And How To Reduce The Swelling
Water retention is quite common, and various factors can cause it. In most cases, its nothing to be worried about. Our bodies constantly fluctuate depending on how we go about our day. Some days youll eat more salt or exercise less, which will cause some water retention. Even hormonal imbalances caused by natural things, such as menstruation and pregnancy, can affect how much fluid the body holds.
Though water retention is generally nothing to be worried about, it can also indicate severe underlying conditions. Any disease that affects the kidney will inevitably cause water retention. The most worrying illnesses that cause it are chronic heart disease and heart failure. Even hormonal conditions can cause it.
In most cases, the water retention will solve by itself in a few days. If you have a healthy lifestyle, you wont even have to deal with this issue very often. But, if the problem persists, you need to see a doctor for a check-up. If the cause of water retention is a disease, you will need to get the proper treatment.
Swelling Resulting From Menstruation And Hormonal Changes
The hormonal imbalances that cause water retention affect women primarily because of menstruation and menopause. Of course, specific hormonal imbalances can cause water retention in men too. But the menstrual cycle makes it so that hormonal imbalances happen more often, thus disproportionately affecting women.
Most women experience mild symptoms of bloating and swelling the day before their menstruation starts. In some cases, these symptoms can appear as early as five days before menstruation begins. This last instance is often indicative of PMS . But, in most cases, water retention peaks on the first day of menstruation. Studies show that this peak happens when oestradiol and progesterone levels are at their lowest during the cycle.
Water retention is also common during pregnancy, as protein levels increase during this period. Also, the extracellular fluid, plasma, and blood volume increase, meaning that your body holds more liquids than it usually does. But water retention can also happen during menopause, as in this period, the body deals with a considerable loss of estrogen. This loss is associated with increased salt sensitivity, meaning your kidneys retain more salt than usual.
Recommended Reading: Can Smoking Affect Your Kidneys
A Note About Sex And Gender
Sex and gender exist on spectrums. This article will use the terms, male, female, or both to refer to sex assigned at birth. .
believe that mottled skin develops when there is a lack of blood flow to the skin. This may mean more deoxygenated blood is under the skins surface, which causes the vivid web- or lace-like pattern.
The medical name for this symptom is livedo reticularis.
The main types of livedo reticularis are:
- Physiologic livedo reticularis/cutis marmorata: A temporary reaction to the cold that comes and goes. It commonly affects children and babies, but may also affect adults.
- Primary or idiopathic livedo reticularis: Mottled skin that does not have a cause.
- Secondary livedo reticularis: Mottled skin caused by an underlying condition.
If the rash is associated with systemic symptoms, doctors must check whether the rash is livedo reticularis or livedo racemosa, a related condition that also causes mottling. Livedo racemosa is always the result of an underlying condition and has a strong association with antiphospholipid syndrome .
Many things can reduce the flow of oxygenated blood to the skin, so many things can cause livedo reticularis. Doctors sort cases into different categories to make it easier to understand the potential causes.
Below are a few of the causes associated with mottled skin.
How Much Can You Drink
Most people who have chronic kidney disease can drink as much as they like at first. If the performance of the kidneys keeps getting worse, many people release less and less fluids. If you then also drink too much liquid, it can’t leave your body fast enough. This results in edema and rising blood pressure levels. Dialysis can only compensate for this to a certain extent, because the amount of water it can remove from the body is limited.
Depending on the type of dialysis and whether the kidneys are still excreting urine , the following recommendations apply: Ideally, you should only drink as much fluids as the kidneys excrete in the form of urine plus 0.5 liters per day in hemodialysis or 0.8 liters per day in peritoneal dialysis. This amount includes both drinks and liquid foods such as soups, yogurt and stewed fruit.
To make sure you don’t drink too much, it can help to use smaller glasses and cups, and to take medication with a meal instead of with an extra glass of water, if possible. You can help suppress your thirst by chewing on a sour candy, a slice of lemon or sugar-free gum. Drinking slowly and avoiding dry indoor air can also help.
Also Check: What Is The Name Of A Kidney Doctor
Fast Facts On Dependent Edema:
- The main symptom of dependent edema is swelling of the lower body parts.
- Dependent edema happens when gravity pulls blood toward the feet.
- The treatment for dependent edema will vary, and it may not be curable.
Gravity pulls blood toward the parts of the body that are closest to the ground. For example, edema may occur in the feet, but people who are bedbound may experience edema in the buttocks.
Usually, the blood is pumped back from feet toward the heart by the veins and the motion of the muscles. When this system malfunctions, the lower body parts begin to fill up with excess fluid, causing the swelling and puffiness of edema.
According to the American Family Physician, one of the primary causes of dependent edema is a problem with the veins, although muscular issues may also contribute.
Signs and symptoms of this condition include:
- difficulty putting on shoes and socks due to swelling
- shiny skin
- stretched-looking skin
To differentiate between dependent edema and one of the other types of edema, apply gentle pressure to the affected area.
If dents appear on the skin, which is known as pitting, it suggests dependent edema.
People with dependent edema should be vigilant when it comes to their skin health because they are at increased risk of skin infections. When the skin stretches and breaks, it becomes more vulnerable to infections such as cellulitis, which is a bacterial skin infection that can spread rapidly to other body parts.
Symptoms include:
What Are Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are painful accumulations of minerals that form in your kidneys and can cause serious pain. Often smaller stones can pass freely through your urinary tract without symptoms, but larger stones can become stuck in the urinary tract causing severe abdominal or lower back pain and other symptoms.
Don’t Miss: What Is Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 4
Stretched & Shiny Skin
“Stretched, tight or shiny skin,” could be a clear sign that you’re holding on to too much water, and the fluid is causing a buildup underneath the surface of your skin, explains Maggie Moon, MS, RDN, and author of the MIND diet, over email with Bustle. Look for any color or texture changes to know.
Stomach Pain & Enlarged Belly
“Irritable bowel syndrome is a common disorder that affects the large intestine . Irritable bowel syndrome commonly causes cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea and constipation,” says Brogan. “Some people can control their symptoms by managing diet, lifestyle and stress. However, chronic IBS can lead to more severe conditions like inflammatory and digestive related diseases,” Brogan cautions. Even outside of IBS, if you have tummy pains or an enlarged stomach, it could be a sign, says Brogan. Check with your doctor for a diagnosis.
Don’t Miss: What Foods Can Cause Kidney Stones
Causes Of Fluid Retention
Some of the many common causes of fluid retention include:
- Gravity standing up for long periods of time allows fluid to pool in the tissues of the lower leg.
- Hot weather the body tends to be less efficient at removing fluid from tissues during the summer months.
- Burns including sunburn. The skin retains fluid and swells in response to burn injuries.
- Menstrual cycle some women experience oedema in the 2 weeks prior to menstruation.
- Pregnancy hormones encourage the body to hold onto excess fluid.
- The pill oral contraceptives that include oestrogen can trigger fluid retention.
- Dietary deficiency such as insufficient protein or vitamin B1 in the diet.
- Medications certain drugs, including high blood pressure medication , corticosteroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are known to cause fluid retention.
- Chronic venous insufficiency weakened valves in the veins of the legs fail to efficiently return blood to the heart. The pooling of blood can result in varicose veins.
Pain Spasms And Other Sensations
Far from only affecting excretion, failing kidney function affects every system, organ, and gland of the body.
Some of the more noticeable symptoms include:
- Pain in the side or mid- to lower back: When only one kidney fails, the pain will occur on the side of the bad kidney. CKD can also cause kidney stones and fluid-filled cysts to develop, which can worsen the pain.
- Muscle cramps and/or twitches: As with athletes, these symptoms are thought to be caused by fluid and electrolyte imbalances, but they also may be the result of nerve damage or blood flow issues.
- Persistently itchy skin: Called pruritus, or uremic pruritus, this may be felt all over the body. It is due to the buildup of wastesespecially excess phosphorusthat the kidneys can no longer filter out. Pruritus is common in end-stage kidney disease .
- Feeling cold all the time: This is a symptom of anemia.
Recommended Reading: Do Kidney Stones Make You Tired
Treatment Of Kidney Infection
Most kidney infections need prompt treatment with antibiotics to stop the infection damaging the kidneys or spreading to the bloodstream.
You may also need painkillers.
If youre especially vulnerable to the effects of an infection , you may be admitted to hospital and treated with antibiotics through a drip.
Most people who are diagnosed and treated promptly with antibiotics feel completely better after about 2 weeks.
People who are older or have underlying conditions may take longer to recover.
Shortness Of Breath After Very Little Effort
Why this happens:
Being short of breath can be related to the kidneys in two ways. First, extra fluid in the body can build up in the lungs. And second, anemia can leave your body oxygen-starved and short of breath.
What patients said:
At the times when I get the shortness of breath, its alarming to me. It just fears me. I think maybe I might fall or something so I usually go sit down for awhile.
I couldnt sleep at night. I couldnt catch my breath, like I was drowning or something. And, the bloating, cant breathe, cant walk anywhere. It was bad.
You May Like: Why Spicy Food Causes Heartburn
You May Like: What Happens When Kidneys Shut Down
Appetite And Weight Changes
The collective effects of the physical and emotional strain of the disease, its related complications, and its treatments, can wreak havoc on your appetite, which can cause weight changes and further health issues.
- Nausea and vomiting: For those with CKD, nausea and vomiting may include uremic toxin buildup, medications, gastroparesis , peptic ulcers , gastroesophageal reflux disease , and gallbladder disease, among others.
- Loss of appetite: In the early to middle stages of kidney disease, compounds build in the blood that suppresses appetite and can affect your sense of taste. Foods you once enjoyed may start to taste metallic. Depression, anxiety, medications, and other treatments can contribute to appetite loss.
Kidney disease can cause appetite loss, which, in turn, can provoke weight loss.
How To Treat A Uti
If you test positive for a UTI, then youll want to treat it as soon as possible. When left untreated, you run the risk of kidney infection and sepsis. Plus, UTIs have a higher chance of occurring again in the future if the first one goes untreated.
Typically, your urologist will prescribe you antibiotics to combat the bad bacteria. Your symptoms should clear up within a few days. If you continue to experience discomfort after 3 days, contact your doctor for a follow-up appointment. Probiotics are also effective in helping your body fight many kinds of infections including UTIs.
Additionally, be sure to drink plenty of fluids. This will help regulate your body and flush out the bad bacteria.
Don’t Miss: Does Aleve Affect The Liver Or Kidneys
Possible Complications From Nephrotic Syndrome Itself
Complications can be caused by nephrotic syndrome itself due to the loss of normal proteins from the blood. These include:
- An increased risk of developing infections. This is because you can lose antibodies in the urine. Any signs of infection , etc) should be taken seriously and reported promptly to a doctor.
- An increased risk of developing blood clots in the blood vessels . For example, a deep vein thrombosis in a leg. This can cause pain, swelling and other complications. The reason for this is because there can be a change in the balance of proteins in the blood that protect against blood clots forming.
- A high cholesterol level. If this persists long-term it is a risk factor for developing heart disease.
- Increased risk of vitamin D deficiency which may lead to bone problems. This is due to loss of vitamin D-binding protein from the bloodstream.
- Anaemia. This is due to loss of proteins that help to carry iron around in the bloodstream. You need iron to make red blood cells and to prevent anaemia.
- Acute kidney injury. This may rarely occur from the nephrotic syndrome itself, or more commonly due to complications such as infections, or as an unintended result of treatment.
Depending on the duration and severity of the nephrotic syndrome, you may be advised to take treatment to help prevent or reduce the risk of these possible complications.