Chronic kidney disease (CKD)
Get Healthy Kidneys with Ayurveda
What is Chronic Kidney Disease?
Chronic means something that grows gradually and becomes more severe over time. Chronic kidney disease is the same; your kidneys filter out the waste materials from the body. But, when kidneys are damaged, they can’t filter out the blood. With time, this waste material accumulates in your body and leads to chronic kidney disease and even causes kidney failure if not treated on time.
As we know, our kidneys are the primary organ that filters out blood. Its main job is to keep the balance of salt and minerals in the body. Unfortunately, due to kidney damage, it fails to filter out the blood and can cause other health issues too.
In addition, chronic kidney disease is a slow and untraceable process. So, it is better to understand this disease and diagnose it on time. In this article, we are going to discuss CKD symptoms, CKD causes, and its treatment methods.
Facts About Kidney Disease
- Chronic kidney disease affects an estimated 37 million Americans, but most are unaware they have the disease.
- Kidney disease is a significant health problem worldwide and is the 12th leading cause of death globally.
- Early detection and treatment can help slow or stop the progression of kidney disease.
What Causes Chronic Kidney Disease?
Diabetes and high blood pressure (hypertension) collectively account for about two-thirds of all cases of chronic kidney disease.
Diabetes: Diabetes develops when your blood sugar levels remain too high. Your kidneys, heart, blood vessels, nerves, and eyes, among other bodily parts, might suffer long-term damage from uncontrolled blood sugar levels.
High Blood pressure: When your blood pressure strikes against the walls of your blood vessels creates a force hence leads to high blood pressure. It can be a significant factor in heart attacks, strokes, and chronic renal disease if uncontrolled or poorly regulated.
What are Other Problems that Affect the Kidney?
In addition to the previously mentioned risk factors, there are a few other conditions or circumstances that can lead to the development of kidney disease.
Autoimmune diseases: An autoimmune disease occurs when the immune system, the body’s defense mechanism fails to eliminate it. One such inflammatory condition that causes inflammation (swelling or scarring) of the tiny blood vessels that filter wastes in your kidney are “lupus nephritis”.
Glomerulonephritis: It is a group of diseases that cause inflammation and damage to the filtering units of the kidney.
Inherited diseases: PKD (Polycystic kidney disease), a common genetic disorder that results in the formation of massive cysts in the kidneys and harms the surrounding tissue, is an example of an inherited condition.
Parental kidney and urinary tract abnormalities: Congenital disabilities that arise as a baby grows inside its mother’s womb. For instance, a constriction may happen, preventing the urine’s normal outflow and causing it to flow back up to the kidney. This results in infections and could harm kidneys.
Other causes:The presence of kidney stones or tumors can obstruct normal kidney function and lead to kidney damage. Kidney damage can also be caused by an enlarged prostate gland in men or recurrent urinary infections.
What are the Factors that Increase the Risk of Chronic Kidney Disease?
Although chronic kidney disease can affect anyone at any age, certain individuals are more susceptible to developing it. Your risk of developing kidney disease may be higher if you meet certain criteria.
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Belong to an older age group
- Family history of kidney failure
- Member of a population group with a high incidence of diabetes or high blood pressure (such as African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asians, Pacific Islanders, or American Indians)
What are the Symptoms of CKD?
Just like other diseases, CKD has very common symptoms, and it is very important to identify them. Following are the signs that should not be avoided. These symptoms are not severe but can lead to kidney failure if not treated on time.
- chest pain
- dry skin
- itching or numbness
- feeling tired
- headaches
- increased or decreased urination
- loss of appetite
- muscle cramps
- nausea
- shortness of breath
- sleep problems
- trouble concentrating
- vomiting
- weight loss
What is the Right Way to Treat Chronic Kidney Disease?
You must consult a professional to perform the correct treatment for CKD. Although, he will suggest the same thing we are discussing here. In order to identify whether you are suffering from CKD or not, you need to perform the following tests.
GFR: A blood test called a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) measures how effectively your kidneys are functioning. Your kidneys contain tiny filters called glomeruli. These filters help to remove surplus fluid and waste from the blood. A GFR examination measures the volume of blood that passes through these filters each minute.
Your doctor will calculate your Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) based on the results of the tests and additional factors like age and gender (GFR). The GFR result is the most accurate way to determine your level of kidney function and stage of renal disease.
Test for albumin to creatine ratio in urine: Your general health, as well as the functionality of your liver and kidneys, are assessed with an albumin blood test. The amount of albumin your liver produces may not be sufficient if it is damaged or if you are malnourished. Too much albumin may pass through your urine if your kidneys are damaged (pee).
The measurement of several proteins, enzymes, and other chemicals produced in your liver using a series of blood tests, including an albumin blood test, is common. An albumin test could also be included in a comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), a collection of standard blood tests that monitors a number of chemicals.
A clue that the kidneys are not working correctly is the presence of albumin, a protein that shouldn’t be seen in the urine.
Blood test for creatinine: A urinalysis is a test that looks for blood in a sample of your urine (pee). You may occasionally notice blood in your pee. Your urine may become crimson or reddish brown as a result. However, there may be undetectable little quantities of blood in your pee. A urinalysis can detect a few blood cells in your urine in addition to other kinds of cells, chemicals, and materials.
Blood in the pee is often not a major issue. A urinary tract infection (UTI), renal illness, or liver diseases are among the conditions that, in some circumstances, red or white blood cells in your urine may indicate. This determines whether the blood contains too much of the waste product “creatinine.”
How Ayurveda Treats CKD?
Ayurvedic treatment for chronic kidney disease typically involves a combination of lifestyle modifications, dietary changes, and herbal remedies. Here are some of the Ayurvedic treatments that may be used:
Herbal remedies: Ayurvedic practitioners may prescribe herbal remedies such as punarnava, gokshura, varun, and tribulus terrestris to help reduce inflammation and improve kidney function.
Dietary changes: An Ayurvedic diet for kidney disease may involve reducing salt and protein intake, and increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables. Some foods, such as ginger, turmeric, and cumin, may be included to help reduce inflammation and support kidney function.
Yoga and meditation: Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of stress management in managing chronic kidney disease. Yoga and meditation can help reduce stress and promote overall well-being.
Panchakarma: Panchakarma is a traditional Ayurvedic detoxification process that can help remove toxins from the body and improve kidney function.
It’s important to note that while Ayurvedic treatments may offer some benefits in managing chronic kidney disease, they should always be used under the guidance of a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner and in conjunction with conventional medical treatment. It’s also important to continue regular monitoring of kidney function through blood and urine tests, as chronic kidney disease can progress even with treatment.
Conclusion
This was all for CKD; if you are feeling multiple symptoms simultaneously, there are certain chances that your kidney has started to damage. No doubt it is a slow process, but with time, it gets even worse and can cost you money as well as your kidneys. So, it is important to take countermeasures to avoid such symptoms.
