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How To Know If You Have Bad Kidneys

What Are Dialysis And Hemodialysis

How To Know If You Have Kidney Problems

Dialysis cleanses the body of waste products in the body by use of filter systems. There are two types of dialysis, 1) hemodialysis and 2) peritoneal dialysis.

Hemodialysis uses a machine filter called a dialyzer or artificial kidney to remove excess water and salt, to balance the other electrolytes in the body, and to remove waste products of metabolism. Blood is removed from the body and flows through tubing into the machine, where it passes next to a filter membrane. A specialized chemical solution flows on the other side of the membrane. The dialysate is formulated to draw impurities from the blood through the filter membrane. Blood and dialysate never touch in the artificial kidney machine.

For this type of dialysis, access to the blood vessels needs to be surgically created so that large amounts of blood can flow into the machine and back to the body. Surgeons can build a fistula, a connection between a large artery and vein in the body, usually in the arm, that allows a large amount of blood to flow into the vein. This makes the vein swell or dilate, and its walls become thicker so that it can tolerate repeated needle sticks to attach tubing from the body to the machine. Since it takes many weeks or months for a fistula to mature enough to be used, significant planning is required if hemodialysis is to be considered as an option.

So Now Is The Time To Pamper Your Kidneys

If youre experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, you should see your health practitioner and have a check-up, including tests to assess your kidney function.

And you should also make sure youre helping your kidneys stay in top shape by doing a thorough cleanse.

Even if you dont have any of these signs, a systemic cleanse is like a spa day for your kidneys. It helps them get in top shape and avoid damage and disease. This is why OsteoCleanse, The 7 Day Bone Building Accelerator was developed in conjunction with the Osteoporosis Reversal Program.

OsteoCleanse is not just about alkalizing your body, feeling younger and more energized, and removing osteoporosis drugs from your system. It does all of these things in just seven days, but at the heart of OsteoCleanses effectiveness are its kidney-boosting, liver-cleansing effects so youll strengthen and build your bones faster.

Its always a good idea to heed early warning signs and treat your kidneys to a cleanse before damage occurs, and its particularly important to offset the effects of aging on your renal system.

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, it’s alarming to me. It just fears me. I think maybe I might fall or something so I usually go sit down for awhile.

I couldn’t sleep at night. I couldn’t catch my breath, like I was drowning or something. And, the bloating, can’t breathe, can’t walk anywhere. It was bad.

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Feeling Faint Dizzy Or Weak

Why this happens:

Anemia related to kidney failure means that your brain is not getting enough oxygen. This can lead to feeling faint, dizzy, or weak.

What patients said:

I was always tired and dizzy.

It got to the point, like, I used to be at work, and all of the sudden I’d start getting dizzy. So I was thinking maybe it was my blood pressure or else diabetes was going bad. That’s what was on my mind.

How Can I Prevent Ckd

Symptoms of Kidney Failure & How to Know if You Have it ...

Diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common causes of CKD. If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, working with your doctor to keep your blood sugar and blood pressure under control is the best way to prevent kidney disease.

Living a healthy lifestyle can help prevent diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease, or help keep them under control. Follow these tips to lower your risk for kidney disease and the problems that cause it:

  • Follow a low-salt, low-fat diet
  • Exercise at least 30 minutes on most days of the week
  • Have regular check-ups with your doctor
  • Do not smoke or use tobacco
  • Limit alcohol

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How To Prevent A Kidney Infection

Preventing a kidney infection is really all about preventing urinary tract infections and getting prompt treatment if you ever get one. Sorry, but dont rely on cranberry juice or supplements for thisthe science is far too mixed to consider either of these a definitive UTI-prevention method. Instead, whenever you feel a bladder infection coming on, make it a habit to drink enough water every day to stay hydrated. That will ensure youre peeing often enough to help flush out bacteria that could lead to an infection. The NIDDK recommends peeing as often as you get the urge, but definitely at least every three to four hours, since urine hanging out in your bladder for too long may help bacteria to grow, the organization says.

Kaufman also stresses the importance of urinating like a fire hose after sex. It might even be helpful to skip peeing before sex as long as that doesnt make you uncomfortable, he says. This allows you to build up a forceful stream that may better help remove any bacteria that might have been pushed up there during sex.

Also, we referenced this above, but its important to reiterate: After you pee , you should be sure to wipe from front to back, as wiping back to front can spread harmful bacteria from your rectum to your urethra, where it can cause an infection.

Bubbly Or Foamy Urine

If you urinate in the toilet and it looks very bubbly or foamy as if you’ve just poured a beer or something then this could also be a symptom of kidney failure. When patients have protein in the urine, if they’re leaking protein in the urine, this could give that bubbly appearance of the urine in the toilet. Protein leakage is not normal and it is a sign of kidney failure. So pay attention to your urine. If it’s looking foamy, this could be a symptom of kidney failure.

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Kidney Failure And Alcohol

If you have kidney failure and drink alcohol, your kidneys will be forced to work harder than they already are.

Alcohol doesnt metabolize out of your system, so youll feel its effects until you receive dialysis to filter it out of your blood.

Beer and wine contain large amounts of phosphorous. It can cause severe heart issues and even death if your kidneys are unable to filter it out. However, most hard liquor doesnt carry the same risk.

If you have kidney failure or late-stage kidney disease, your doctor may recommend you limit how often you drink alcohol. For some people, completely eliminating alcohol from the diet may be best.

Drinking alcohol with kidney failure can hurt the normal function of other organs. Over time, long-term, heavy alcohol use can lead to liver disease.

Recovering From A Bruised Kidney

How Do You Know If Something Is Wrong With Your Kidneys?

A bruised kidney is a serious injury that often requires immediate medical attention. If the injury was minor, it can take up to two weeks for a bruised kidney to heal on its own. Even with mild symptoms, kidney injuries can progress into serious complications and may cause internal bleeding.

If you were in an accident that injured your back or abdomen, call your doctor to discuss your kidney health. Though kidney bruising can heal on its own, professional observation is important to ensure further issues dont develop.

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What Are The Treatment Options For Kidney Failure

If you have kidney failure , you will need dialysis or a kidney transplant to live. There is no cure for ESRD, but many people live long lives while on dialysis or after having a kidney transplant.

There are just a few options for treating kidney failure, including kidney transplant and several types of dialysis. Your doctor can help you figure out which treatment is best for you. Learn more about the treatment options for kidney failure.

Swollen Hands And Feet

Since the kidneys are responsible for filtering excess water from the body, when they aren’t performing this function properly, that excess fluid can redistribute, particularly in your extremities.

“Swelling of your legs, ankles, and feet may be a sign that the kidney is not removing excess fluids or sodium from the body,” says Poston. “When the kidneys leak too much protein into the urine, swelling may result.”

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Signs Of Stage 1 Kidney Disease

Because the kidneys still do a pretty good job even when theyre slightly damaged, most people with stage 1 CKD dont know they have it. If they do find out theyre in stage 1, its usually because they were being tested for another condition, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, which are the two leading causes of kidney disease.

The early stages of kidney disease are most commonly diagnosed through one or more of the following ways:

  • Blood test

Signs You May Have Kidney Disease

152 best Kidney Info images on Pinterest

More than 37 million American adults are living with kidney disease and most dont know it. There are a number of physical signs of kidney disease, but sometimes people attribute them to other conditions. Also, those with kidney disease tend not to experience symptoms until the very late stages, when the kidneys are failing or when there are large amounts of protein in the urine. This is one of the reasons why only 10% of people with chronic kidney disease know that they have it, says Dr. Joseph Vassalotti, Chief Medical Officer at the National Kidney Foundation.

While the only way to know for sure if you have kidney disease is to get tested, Dr. Vassalotti shares 10 possible signs you may have kidney disease. If youre at risk for kidney disease due to high blood pressure, diabetes, a family history of kidney failure or if youre older than age 60, its important to get tested annually for kidney disease. Be sure to mention any symptoms youre experiencing to your healthcare practitioner.

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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 you’re 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.

The Water Hydration Technique

You know how most of us generally go for long periods without water, become thirsty and scull the next available glass in about 30 seconds? Have you ever thought what this does to your body? No? I dont blame you.

The actual fact of the matter is that every time you a drink a glass of water in a hurry, you are placing pressure on kidney function. How? Well, seeing as one of the functions of the kidneys is to keep the fluid levels in the blood stream balanced, by drinking a full glass of water at once you are essentially dumping a large amount of water into the blood stream, which the kidneys now need to balance out . By drinking slowly, a mouthful at a time, you reduce the pressure on the kidneys and increase hydration. Sound too simple to do any good? Good. Now try it.

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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 Do You Know If A Uti Has Spread To Your Kidneys

12 Bad Habits that can damage your kidneys, lead to Chronic Kidney Disease or kidney failure

Kidney infections are caused by bacteria traveling from your bladder into either one or both of your kidneys. And while UTIs can be treated with a course of antibiotics, if it goes untreated, it can spread to the kidneys and cause an infection.

If your symptoms get worse or dont improve within a few days, its possible that the infection has moved beyond the bladder and towards the kidneys. Remember, a kidney infection can be treated so if you suspect somethings not quite right, be sure to contact your healthcare provider.

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What Should I Eat When I Have Kidney Failure

Dialysis helps to do some of the work that your kidneys did when they were healthy, but it cannot do everything that healthy kidneys do. Therefore, even when you are on dialysis, you will need to limit what and how much you eat and drink. Your diet needs may depend on the type of dialysis you are on and your treatment schedule. Learn more about the diet for living with kidney failure.

Learn what healthy eating means for people in every stage of kidney disease, including those on dialysis or living with a kidney transplant. Find recipes on Kidney Kitchen.

What Medications Are Prescribed For People With Chronic Kidney Disease

Depending on the cause of your kidney disease, you may be prescribed one or more medications. Medications your nephrologist may prescribe include:

  • An angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker to lower your blood pressure.
  • A diuretic to help your body eliminate extra fluid.
  • Medications to lower cholesterol levels.
  • Erythropoetin, to build red blood cells if you are anemic.
  • Vitamin D and calcitrol to prevent bone loss.
  • Phosphate binder if your kidneys cant eliminate phosphate.

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How Kidneys Are Damaged

Many different diseases, drugs, toxins, and inherited disorders can lead to kidney damage.

However, by far the two most common causes of kidney disease are diabetes and high blood pressure, both of which can damage the kidneys delicate blood vessels and tissues.1

When the root causes of these two diseases are not addressed, chronic kidney disease and ultimately kidney failure can be the result. In the US, diabetes causes 44%, and high blood pressure causes 29% of all cases of end-stage kidney failure requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant.2

Why does this happen?

In the case of diabetes, high blood sugars over long periods of time can cause glucose to bind to vital proteins in the bloodstream. This process, known as glycation, results in the formation of advanced glycation end-products . AGEs can cause abnormal changes to proteins and to receptors that ultimately injure the filtering segments of the kidney. This glycation creates a vicious cycle of additional injuries to tissues that results in progressive kidney damage, called diabetic nephropathy.3

With high blood pressure, the problem is simply too much pressure. Exposing the delicate filtering portion of kidneys to blood that is moving too hard and fast causes scarring, which damages the kidneys. This results in a loss of kidney function, leading to chronic kidney disease or eventually kidney failure.4

Takeaway:

Part 2 Of 3: Identifying Differing Symptoms

Free report
  • 1Think about likely causes of back pain. One way to distinguish between back and kidney pain is to think about whether you have done anything recently that is likely to cause back pain. If you have done a lot of heavy lifting or have bent over for a long period of time, your pain is more likely to be back pain than kidney pain.
  • If you stood or sat for an unusually long time recently that could cause back pain.
  • Also, if you have an existing injury to your back it is likely that new pain is related to that previous injury.
  • 2Pay attention to problems with urination. Because the kidneys are an integral part of the urinary tract, infections and other problems with the kidneys often show up during urination. Look for blood in your urine and pay attention to increases in pain when you urinate.XTrustworthy SourceCedars Sinai HospitalWebsite of one of the world’s leading hospitalsGo to source
  • Your urine may also be cloudy or dark if the pain is coming from your kidneys.
  • You may also feel an intense need to urinate when you are having kidney problems, such as kidney stones.XResearch source
  • 3Feel for numbness below the back. In some cases of back pain you may experience numbness due to problems with nerve compression and blood flow down into the buttocks and the legs. This is a common symptom for those suffering from back pain related to the sciatic nerve.XResearch source
  • This numbness can even go all the way down to the toes in extreme cases.
  • What Happens If You Have Kidney Disease

    Kidney disease can be treated. The sooner you know you have kidney disease, the sooner you can get treatment to help delay or prevent kidney failure. Treating kidney disease may also help prevent heart disease.

    Treatment goals are to:

    • If you smoke, take steps to quit.
    • Take medicines the way your provider tells you to.

    What Is Kidney Failure

    Your kidneys are a pair of organs located toward your lower back. One kidney is on each side of your spine. They filter your blood and remove toxins from your body. Kidneys send toxins to your bladder, which your body later removes toxins during urination.

    Kidney failure occurs when your kidneys lose the ability to sufficiently filter waste from your blood. Many factors can interfere with your kidney health and function, such as:

    • toxic exposure to environmental pollutants or certain medications
    • certain acute and chronic diseases
    • severe dehydration
    • kidney trauma

    Your body becomes overloaded with toxins if your kidneys cant do their regular job. This can lead to kidney failure, which can be life-threatening if left untreated.

    Usually someone with kidney failure will have a few symptoms of the disease. Sometimes no symptoms are present. Possible symptoms include:

    • a reduced amount of urine
    • swelling of your legs, ankles, and feet from retention of fluids caused by the failure of the kidneys to eliminate water waste
    • unexplained shortness of breath

    There are five different types of kidney failure:

    What To Watch For

    Kidney disease gets worse over time as waste and fluid build up in your body. Here are the warning signs:

    • Changes in your urine. You might pee more or less than normal. Or you could notice a change in color or that your pee is foamy. This means that protein is seeping out of your kidneys. Blood in the urine is another sign.Â;
    • Dry and itchy skin. This can happen when your kidneys are no longer able to balance the minerals and nutrients in your blood.
    • Swelling. Your kidneys help even out the amount of sodium in your body. When theyâre not working well, your body hangs on to extra salt. This can cause puffy skin around your ankles and feet. You may also notice it in your hands or around your eyes.
    • Upset stomach. Built-up waste in your blood can cause nausea and loss of appetite.
    • Fatigue. Your kidneys produce a hormone that tells your body to make red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout your body. If theyâre not working right, this doesnât get done, and you can have a health problem called anemia. You may feel tired, even after you rest. Your sleep quality may suffer, too.

    What You Should Know About Chronic Kidney Disease

    Foods That Are Bad For Kidneys

    Work with your health care team on a treatment plan thats right for you.

    Kidneys that function properly are important for maintaining good health. More than 1 in 7 American adults are estimated to have chronic kidney disease , which affects how well kidneys function. Find out what you should know if you are diagnosed with CKD.

    Your kidneys work hard. Every 30 minutes, they filter all your blood to remove wastes, poisons, and excess fluid from your body. Kidneys also help control blood pressure and produce several vital hormones. Kidneys that function properly are important for maintaining good health.

    CKD refers to the loss of kidney function over time. This means that the kidneys are not able to filter fluids as well as they should. The excess fluid and waste that arent filtered remain in the body. This may cause other health problems, including heart disease and stroke.

    The two main causes of CKD are diabetes and high blood pressure. About 1 in 3 adults with diabetes and 1 in 5 adults with high blood pressure have CKD.

    People may not feel sick or notice any symptoms until CKD is advanced. The only way people find out if they have CKD is through simple blood and urine tests. The blood test checks for creatinine in the blood to see how well the kidneys work. The urine test checks for protein in the urine .

    What Is Kidney Dialysis

    Because there is no cure for CKD, if you are in late-stage disease, you and your healthcare team must consider additional options. Complete kidney failure, left untreated, will result in death. Options for end stages of CKD include dialysis and kidney transplantation.

    Dialysis is a procedure that uses machines to remove waste products from your body when your kidneys are no longer able to perform this function. There are two major types of dialysis.

    Hemodialysis: With hemodialysis, your blood is circulated through a machine that removes waste products, excess water and excess salt. The blood is then returned to your body. Hemodialysis requires three to four hours, three times a week and is performed at a clinic, hospital or dialysis center.

    Peritoneal dialysis: In peritoneal dialysis, a dialysis solution is run directly into your abdomen. The solution absorbs waste and then is removed via catheter. Fresh solution is added to continue the process of cleaning. You can perform this type of dialysis yourself. There are two types of peritoneal dialysis: continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis , which involves a change in dialysis solution four times a day; and continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis . CCPD uses a machine to automatically fill, remove wastes, and refill the fluid during the nighttime.

    Feeling Tired Or Sluggish During The Day

    Everyone has a day when they feel tired maybe you didnt get enough sleep, or ate the wrong foods, or some other temporary factors are at play. But sometimes, fatigue is caused by lack of a hormone called erythropoietin, or EPO. The main function of EPO is to stimulate the production of red blood cells, and red blood cells carry energizing oxygen to cells throughout your body.

    Stressed kidneys do not produce enough EPO, thereby reducing the number of red blood cells and making you feel weak and tired out.

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