Chronic kidney Disease Guide For Patients – Chronic kidney disease is usually gradual and permanent loss of kidney function over time. It mostly takes months to years for your kidneys to function abnormally during kidney disease. The damage is so slow that it usually progresses in stages based on the glomerular filtration rate. The treatment usually includes dialysis, transplant, and ayurvedic medicine for kidney disease.
The five stages of CKD are:
- Stage1: Mild damage to the kidneys
- Stage2: Mild decrease in the kidney’s functionality
- Stage3: Moderate damage to the kidneys
- Stage4: Severe damage to the kidneys
- Stage 5: End-stage renal failure
With each stage progressing, the complications appear to be more severe. The fluid and waste balance in the body rises unexpectedly. Electrolyte imbalance due to poor kidney function can be life-threatening for overall health management. Many complications develop because of this such as anemia, bone disease, malnutrition, high blood pressure.
What are the signs and symptoms of chronic kidney disease?
The kidneys are highly efficient in compensating for the loss of function. Even if you have one diseased kidney, the other continues to work well. This is why patients with CKD may not experience any signs when the kidneys first start to have problems.
As the kidneys affect so many other functions of the body, a large number of signs may appear. The signs also vary differently for everyone.
The signs and symptoms of chronic kidney disease include:
- Frequent need to urinate, especially at night
- Swelling in the legs and puffiness around the eyes mostly due to fluid retention
- Uncontrollable blood pressure;
- Unusual fatigue and weakness from the buildup of waste products in the body
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Headaches and chills
- numbness in the feet and hands (peripheral neuropathy)
- Disturbed sleep pattern
- Changes in the mental state
- Restless leg syndrome
- Bone pain and fractures
- Decrease sexual desire and erectile dysfunction
- Chest pain due to inflammation around the heart
When to see the doctor
Consult your doctor as soon as you experience changes in your body, especially urinary changes. Swelling in the body and high blood pressure are also related to poor kidney function. Make sure to begin your treatment like ayurvedic medicine for kidney disease as soon as your doctor diagnoses CKD in you.
What causes chronic kidney disease?
There is no single key factor attributed to the development of kidney disease but many. The major causes are high blood pressure and diabetes.
In the case of diabetes, type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus cause a condition called diabetic nephropathy. Likewise, high blood pressure also puts your kidneys at risk by weakening the blood vessels in the body.
Some other causes may include:
- Glomerulonephritis is the inflammation and damage to the filtering system of the kidneys.
- Systemic disease such as Lupus
- An inherited condition called polycystic kidney disease in which multiple cysts grow in the kidneys
- Clogging of the arteries that reach kidneys, called ischemic nephropathy, is also a cause of chronic kidney disease
- Obstruction in the urine flow process due to stones, an enlarged prostate, or other urinary conditions
- Infections like HIV
- Sickle cell disease
- Amyloidosis
- The use of analgesics for a long time can also contribute to damage to the kidneys
The following conditions bring more risk- higher than normal for chronic kidney disease. It is advisable to monitor kidney disease continuously to avoid any severe condition later in life.
- Diabetes type 1 or type 2
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Heart disease
- Liver disease
- Amyloidosis
- Sickle cell disease
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Vascular diseases
- Being older age
- A family history of kidney disease
Does diet help with chronic kidney disease?
Chronic kidney disease can be relatively managed with the help of ayurvedic medicine for kidney disease and a renal diet plan.
The dietary rules play a major role in slowing down the progression of kidney disease and reducing the severity of morbidities. Though the process of taking care of kidneys is individualized, and you need to consult a dietician to help decide the right diet plan for you.
Protein: A decreased amount of protein intake is usually recommended by dieticians. Proteins are hard to be processed by the kidneys, not working properly. Ask your dietician about the right amount of protein you can take.
Salt: Likely, too much salt in your diet can be the reason for high blood pressure as the body starts to retain more water. Limit it to 2 to 4 gms a day.
Fluid intake: At this time, the kidneys are not able to flush out excess fluid. So, your doctor may recommend a restriction of fluid.
Potassium restriction: This is necessary because potassium buildup can be a cause of abnormal heart rhythms. Examples of foods high in potassium include bananas, oranges, nuts, avocados, and potatoes- avoid them.
Phosphorus restriction: Phosphorus build-up can pull out calcium from the bones and make them weak. Dairy products are also rich in phosphorus, so they should be avoided at this time.
Preventive measures that can be adopted by CKD patients:
- Control your blood pressure and blood sugar
- Quit smoking, if you do
- Manage your weight
- Instead of allopathy, take ayurvedic medicine for kidney disease
Consult us at Karma Ayurveda for more information on ayurvedic treatment and diet plans.