Various Kidney Disorders

Kidneys are bean shaped organs in the body located at both sides of the spine, behind the abdomen. Right kidney is slightly lower than the left one as liver pushes it down.

Kidneys filter the waste material and water present in the blood. This waste becomes urine and is passed to the bladder. If these waste materials are not filtered then they would accumulate in the blood and cause harm to the body.

Kidney ailments occur when the kidneys start losing their filtration capacity.

The contributory diseases that cause kidney failures are diabetes and high blood pressure.

In diabetes, the body produces excess of glucose. If this glucose remains in the blood for long, it can be poisonous. This glucose results in damage to the kidneys and may lead to kidney failure. Keeping the glucose levels under control can only prevent kidney failure due to diabetes.

High blood pressure (or hypertension) can damage the blood vessels of the kidney. Due to this the filtration becomes weak hence causing kidney failure.

Glomerular disease is a disorder in which a person gets too much protein in the urine and even blood can be present in the urine. A patient can have one or both the symptoms. This disease is confirmed by biopsy in which a small piece is taken from the kidney and is tested.

Some kidney related diseases are hereditary also. Polycystic kidney disease is one such example. In this, a large number of cysts develop in the kidney that affect the kidney function and can damage it in the later stages.

Kidney dysfunction can also occur in children. Symptoms can be high fever, pain in the back or sides of abdomen, vomiting etc.

Certain medicines taken regularly can also affect the kidneys. Persons taking regular painkillers should get their kidneys checked regularly.

Various symptoms of kidney being affected can be frequent urination, feeling tired, loss of appetite, swelling in feet and hands, muscle cramps, feeling of vomiting and developing dark skin.

As soon as you experience these symptoms consult your doctor. Early diagnosis can help you a lot. Otherwise you can face major problems and can have to undergo dialysis or even kidney transplant.