How Can You Tell If You Have Kidney Problems

Will I Need To Take Medicines Or Follow A Special Diet

Most likely. Your healthcare team will work with you to develop a treatment plan that’s right for you. Your treatment plan may include taking medicines, restricting salt, limiting certain foods, getting exercise, and more. You will also need treatment for any other health problems you may have, including high blood pressure or diabetes.

How Is Kidney Failure Diagnosed

Doctors use a variety of tests to measure kidney function and diagnose kidney failure. If your doctors suspect you may be at risk for kidney failure, they may recommend:

• Blood tests, which can show how well the kidneys are removing waste from the blood.
• Advanced imaging, which can show kidney abnormalities or obstructions .
• Urine tests, which measure the amount of urine or specific substances in the urine, such as protein or blood.

Food Tastes Like Metal

Why this happens:

A build-up of wastes in the blood can make food taste different and cause bad breath. You may also notice that you stop liking to eat meat, or that you are losing weight because you just don’t feel like eating.

What patients said:

Foul taste in your mouth. Almost like you’re drinking iron.

I don’t have the appetite I had before I started dialysis, I must have lost about 10 pounds.

Also Check: Is To Much Water Bad For Your Kidneys

What Are Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are hard collections of salt and minerals often made up of calcium or uric acid. They form inside the kidney and can travel to other parts of the urinary tract.

Stones vary in size. Some are as small as the period at the end of this sentence a fraction of an inch. Others can grow to a few inches across. Some kidney stones can become so large they take up the entire kidney.

A kidney stone forms when too much of certain minerals in your body accumulate in your urine. When you arent well hydrated, your urine becomes more concentrated with higher levels of certain minerals. When mineral levels are higher, its more likely that a kidney stone will form.

About 1 out of every 11 people in the United States will get a kidney stone. Stones are more common in men, people who are obese, and those who have diabetes .

Smaller kidney stones that remain in the kidney often dont cause any symptoms. You might not notice anything is amiss until the stone moves into your ureter the tube that urine travels through to get from your kidney to your bladder.

Kidney stones are typically very painful. Most stones will pass on their own without treatment. However, you may need a procedure to break up or remove stones that dont pass.

Here are eight signs and symptoms that you may have kidney stones.

2 ). Some people whove experienced kidney stones compare the pain to childbirth or getting stabbed with a knife.

4 ). Your doctor might call this dysuria.

What Are The Different Kinds Of Peritoneal Dialysis And How Do They Work

There are several kinds of peritoneal dialysis but two major ones are:Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis and Automated Peritoneal Dialysis .

Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis is the only type of peritoneal dialysis that is done without machines. You do this yourself, usually four or five times a day at home and/or at work. You put a bag of dialysate into your peritoneal cavity through the catheter. The dialysate stays there for about four or five hours before it is drained back into the bag and thrown away. This is called an exchange. You use a new bag of dialysate each time you do an exchange. While the dialysate is in your peritoneal cavity, you can go about your usual activities at work, at school or at home.

Automated Peritoneal Dialysis usually is done at home using a special machine called a cycler. This is similar to CAPD except that a number of cycles occur. Each cycle usually lasts 1-1/2 hours and exchanges are done throughout the night while you sleep.

Don’t Miss: Can A Kidney Infection Cause Diarrhea

When Should I See A Doctor

If you feel that you have strong oral hygiene practices and make some adjustments like increased flossing, brushing, and drinking water, yet still experience poor breath, it may be time to visit your healthcare professional, beyond your dentist, to see what the root case may be.

Gum disease could be another cause of your halitosis. South Gables Dental offers top periodontic services in Coral Gables, FL if you suffer from gum disease.

What Are The Symptoms Of Kidney Failure

In early stages of kidney disease, many people experience few or no symptoms. Its important to note that chronic kidney disease can still cause damage even though you feel fine.

Chronic kidney disease and kidney failure can cause different symptoms for different people. If your kidneys arent working properly, you may notice one or more of the following signs:

• Fatigue
• Poor appetite or metallic taste of food

You May Like: Can Women Pass Kidney Stones

Swelling In Hands Or Feet

Why this happens:

Failing kidneys don’t remove extra fluid, which builds up in your body causing swelling in the legs, ankles, feet, and/or hands.

What patients said:

I remember a lot of swelling in my ankles. My ankles were so big I couldn’t get my shoes on.

Going to work one morning, my left ankle was swollen, real swollen, and I was very exhausted just walking to the bus stop. And I knew then that I had to see a doctor.

How Is A Kidney Infection Diagnosed

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms, do a physical exam, and likely run some diagnostic tests. Those include a urinalysis, to check your pee under a microscope for bacteria and white blood cells, which your body makes to fight infection, and a urine culture to help find out what kind of bacteria is causing the infection, the NIDDK says. Your doctor may even take a blood sample to check for bacteria or other organisms in your blood, the Mayo Clinic says.

Other tests that might come up include an ultrasound, a CT scan, or a form of X-ray called a voiding cystourethrogram, which involves injecting a contrast dye to take X-rays of your bladder when its full and while youre peeing, per the Mayo Clinic.

Recommended Reading: Where Are Your Kidneys In The Body

What Is Peritoneal Dialysis

Peritoneal dialysis uses the lining of the abdominal cavity as the dialysis filter to rid the body of waste and to balance electrolyte levels. A catheter is placed in the abdominal cavity through the abdominal wall by a surgeon, and it is expected to remain in place for the long-term. The dialysis solution is then dripped in through the catheter and left in the abdominal cavity for a few hours after which, it is drained out. During that time, waste products leech from the blood flowing through the lining of the abdomen , and attach themselves to the fluid that has been instilled by the catheters. Often, patients instill the dialysate fluid before bedtime, and drain it in the morning.

There are benefits and complications for each type of dialysis. Not every patient can choose which type he or she would prefer. The treatment decision depends on the patient’s illness and their past medical history along with other issues. Usually, the nephrologist will have a long discussion with the patient and family to decide what will be the best option available.

Dialysis is lifesaving. Without it, patients whose kidneys no longer function would die relatively quickly due to electrolyte abnormalities and the buildup of toxins in the blood stream. Patients may live many years with dialysis but other underlying and associated illnesses often are the cause of death.

Choices If You Have Established Renal Failure

If you have established renal failure , you will need to decide whether to have treatment with dialysis or a kidney transplant. You may decide to have neither treatment and to have supportive care. These choices should be made with your healthcare team.

For people who want active treatment for their ERF, a transplant would be the best option. However, a transplant is only suitable for about half of all people with ERF. This is because they may have had recent cancer or;are not physically fit.

Many people who have slowly progressive kidney failure and other serious health problems, and who are usually older, may choose to avoid dialysis. Supportive care can still allow you to live for some time with a good quality of life.

Don’t Miss: What Is Acute Kidney Failure

What Is The Prognosis And Life Expectancy For Kidney Failure Can It Be Prevented

The outlook for kidney failure depends upon the underlying condition that caused it. Kidney function may return to normal, especially if it is due to an acute obstruction and that obstruction is relieved. Other causes of decreased kidney function leading to kidney failure are due to underlying disease and occur slowly over time.

Prevention is the best chance to maintain kidney function, and controlling high blood pressure and diabetes over a lifetime can decrease the potential for progressive kidney damage. Chronic kidney failure may be managed to help monitor electrolyte and waste product levels in the bloodstream. Major abnormalities can be life-threatening, and treatment options may be limited to dialysis or transplant.

How To Know If You Have Kidney Problems

This article was medically reviewed by Erik Kramer, DO, MPH. Dr. Erik Kramer is a Primary Care Physician at the University of Colorado, specializing in internal medicine, diabetes, and weight management. He received his Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine from the Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2012. Dr. Kramer is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine and is board certified.There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 55,652 times.

You might want to think of your kidneys as the filters of your body. In addition to other important functions, your kidneys and nephrons remove waste from your blood and maintain minerals like electrolytes. Imbalances in the filtering process can cause protein, waste, or extra minerals to pass into your urine. When this happens, several kidney problems can arise like kidney stones, kidney infection, or chronic kidney disease.XResearch source Sometimes, in the early stages of kidney disease, a patient can be completely asymptomatic.

Read Also: How Long For Kidney Infection To Go Away

How Does Ayurveda Help

If you visit an Ayurvedic kidney expert in India, you wont just get treatment for your kidneys, but the complete body. Ayurvedic treatment includes medicines, diet plans, and specific changes in lifestyle. By following this treatment religiously, you can experience an excellent solution to your problem. However, unlike allopathic treatment, Ayurvedic treatment might take some more time to reflect some changes. This is because it attacks the root cause of the problem. On the whole, only Ayurveda can save you from kidney disease.

Disclaimer: The purpose of the content on this page is not to substitute any professional medical advice but to only provide information to the reader. If the reader is a kidney patient, we recommend not making any diet or routine changes without consulting his/her doctor or dietitian. For further advice, you can use this helpline: +91-9871712050 number or visit www.karmaayurvedahealth.com.

What Treatments Are Available For Kidney Failure

There are two treatments for kidney failure dialysis and kidney transplant. The dialysis treatments or transplanted kidney will take over some of the work of your damaged kidneys and remove wastes and extra fluid from your body. This will make many of your symptoms better.

• Two different types of dialysis can be done hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. Both remove waste products and extra fluid from your blood.
• A kidney transplant is an operation that places a healthy kidney in your body.

Also Check: What Happens If You Get A Kidney Infection

Prevention Of Kidney Disease

Medication and changes to lifestyle, along with an early referral to a kidney specialist , can prevent or delay kidney failure.

Heathy lifestyle choices to keep your kidneys functioning well include:;

• Eat lots of fruit and vegetables including legumes and grain-based food such as bread, pasta, noodles and rice.
• Eat lean meat such as chicken and fish each week.
• Eat only small amounts of salty or fatty food.
• Drink plenty of water instead of other drinks. Minimise consumption of sugary soft drinks.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Stay fit. Do at least 30 minutes of physical activity that increases your heart rate on five or more days of the week, including walking, lawn mowing, bike riding, swimming or gentle aerobics.;
• If you dont smoke, dont start. If you do, quit. Call the Quitline or ask your doctor for help with quitting.
• Limit your alcohol to no more than two small drinks per day if you are male, or one small drink per day if you are female.
• Have your blood pressure checked regularly.
• Do things that help you relax and reduce your stress levels.

A range of medication is available for high blood pressure. Different blood pressure medications work in different ways, so it is not unusual for more than one type to be prescribed. The dose may change according to your needs.;

Early Warning Signs Of Kidney Disease

As we all know every human body has two kidneys, which are primarily responsible for filtering the blood free of the nitrogenous waste products like urea, creatinine, acids, etc. and produce urine.

Millions of people are living with various types of kidney diseases and most of them dont even have the faintest idea about it. This is why kidney disease is often known as a Silent Killer as most people do not feel any difference until the disease is advanced. While people get their blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol levels checked on a regular basis, they fail to get a simple creatinine test done in their blood, to detect any unidentified kidney problems. According to the Global Burden Disease study in 2015, chronic kidney disease is ranked as the eighth leading cause of mortality in India.

There are a number of warning signs of a kidney disorder, however, most of the time these are ignored or confused with alternative pathologies . Therefore, one has to be very watchful and should get the confirmatory tests done at the earliest appearance of any sign of a kidney disorder. One should visit a Nephrologist and clarify his/her doubts. But if you have hypertension, diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome as one calls it in todays age, or Coronary Artery Disease, and/or a family history of the same or a family history of kidney failure or even if youre older than 60 years of age, it is advisable to get kidney tests done on a regular basis.

Also Check: Does Drinking To Much Soda Cause Kidney Stones

How Is Kidney Disease Diagnosed

If you might have a kidney condition, you’ll probably visit a pediatric nephrologist , a doctor who specializes in treating kidney diseases. The doctor will ask you about any concerns and symptoms you have, your past health, your family’s health, any medicines you’re taking, any allergies you have, and other issues. This is called your .

The doctor will want to do urine tests and blood tests to look for signs of structural issues, an infection, glomerulonephritis, or nephrotic syndrome, and to check how well your kidneys are working.

One test commonly used to detect kidney conditions is a renal ultrasound. This picture of the kidneys is made using sound waves. It shows how big the kidney is, its shape, and whether there is anything unusual, such as blockage of the urine flow or swelling. An ultrasound is safe and painless.

Sometimes doctors order a test called a renal scan. A dye is injected into the veins and then pictures are taken that show how blood flows through the kidneys. This tells a doctor whether pee is being made normally. In another test, called a kidney biopsy, the doctor uses a special needle to remove a tiny piece of the kidney to check under a microscope.

Preventing Chronic Kidney Disease

The main way to reduce the chances of CKD developing is to ensure any existing conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, are carefully managed.

Some lifestyle changes can also reduce the risk of CKD developing, these include:

• having a healthy diet
• avoiding drinking excessive amounts of alcohol
• exercising regularly

• British Kidney Patient Association;

Read Also: What Are The Two Functions Of Kidney

What Is Hemodialysis

In hemodialysis, an artificial kidney is used to remove waste and extra chemicals and fluid from your blood. To get your blood into the artificial kidney, the doctor needs to make an access into your blood vessels. This is done by minor surgery to your arm or leg.

Sometimes, an access is made by joining an artery to a vein under your skin to make a bigger blood vessel called a fistula.

However, if your blood vessels are not adequate for a fistula, the doctor may use a soft plastic tube to join an artery and a vein under your skin. This is called a graft.

Occasionally, an access is made by means of a narrow plastic tube, called a catheter, which is inserted into a large vein in your neck. This type of access may be temporary, but is sometimes used for long-term treatment.