The kidneys play an important role in maintaining overall health and supporting well-being. Knowing what the first symptoms of kidney disease are can help you treat it in time and avoid complications in the future.
The kidneys play a very important role in eliminating toxins from the body and are vital for maintaining a large number of functions in balance.
When there is a health condition, kidney function can be diminished, thus generating the deposit of waste, aggravating the normal conditions of the body. Unfortunately the number of kidney diseases is increasing greatly in recent years .
Kidney functions
- Excretion of residues : The kidneys filter toxins, excess salts and urea. Urea is synthesized in the liver and transported by the blood to the kidneys for later elimination.
- Regulate red blood cells : When there is a lack of oxygen, the kidneys are responsible for increasing the production of erythropoietin , a hormone that stimulates the bone marrow to produce more oxygen, which increases the number of red blood cells.
- Regulation of blood pressure: The kidneys need pressure to be able to filter the blood, in this way when the pressure decreases our kidneys try to regulate the pressure to work optimally.
- Balancing the fluid level in the body: One of the functions of the kidneys is to regulate the fluid levels in the body. This means that in case the water consumption is reduced, the kidneys will not eliminate all the liquid in order to maintain the water levels in optimal conditions.
- Acid regulation: When cells perform metabolic work they produce acids, so the kidneys are responsible for balancing the levels of these chemicals.
Symptoms of kidney disease
Kidney disease can be caused by many factors, such as diabetes, hypertension, and / or an infection . The emergence of health problems such as hypertension later can be a precursor to kidney disease . For this reason, you should periodically check your glucose levels and blood pressure to make sure they are in their normal range.
Kidney disease can also be a hereditary condition , this means that the chances of suffering from this problem increase in consideration of whether a family member has suffered from kidney disease. Smoking and drinking alcohol, the excessive use of medications, unbalanced eating and the consumption of junk foods together with the lack of physical activity can trigger kidney problems if these bad habits are not modified.
Early signs of kidney disease
Usually, the symptoms of kidney disease appear when the problem is quite severe , already when the kidneys stop working to a great extent and can be detected when there are large amounts of protein in the urine.
The first signs of this condition are quite general , and many times they are not treated properly or are usually attributed to other temporary health problems. A very alarming figure is that of people with chronic kidney disease, only 10% know it.
Remember that the kidneys are able to adapt to infections , this way it will be more difficult to identify a problem.
It is vitally important to be able to recognize the early signs of kidney failure as leaving these signs undetected or untreated at an early stage, can do more damage later on.
Initial signs of kidney failure:
- Lack of sleep or trouble sleeping
- Change in urine color
- Digestion problems
- Tingling of the skin
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fatigue and reluctance
- Frequent hiccups
- Loss of concentration or mental fatigue
- Metallic flavor in the mouth
- Respiratory problems
- Acne
- Pain above the waist
- Muscle cramps
- Swelling in the legs
- Circulation problems
If you suffer from any of the aforementioned symptoms, it is highly recommended to consult a nephrologist to evaluate the situation, in this way you can prevent it from advancing if it is a more serious kidney problem.
How to prevent kidney disease
Kidney disease is a serious health condition , as it means that one of the most important and vital functions of the body is impaired and that would undoubtedly lead to an increasing number of health complications.
Prevention is the best remedy to avoid damage to the kidneys that can be preventable, and kidney damage cannot be undone once it is present . This means that you will need to make some changes to your diet and improve your lifestyle in general to reduce your risk of kidney damage.
Changes in diet
- You must maintain a healthy and balanced diet, low in cholesterol and saturated fat.
- It is not recommended to spend long hours hungry in order to lose weight , but on the contrary, it may be advisable to consume enough calories to maintain kidney health.
- Reduce the amount of sodium we eat. Keep your salt and potassium intake at a low level.
- You should add watermelons, apples, and berries to your food list.
- Excess protein intake is harmful to the kidneys , so you must maintain a low protein diet.
- Drink approximately 8 glasses of liquid, preferably filtered water, each day for adequate hydration.
Lifestyle changes
- You should try to keep your blood pressure balanced with an average between 130 and 80, maintaining these levels is vital so as not to harm kidney function.
- In case of having a calcium and vitamin D deficiency, it is recommended that you adjust your diet in this regard.
- Avoid taking pain relievers and steroids as overuse of these can seriously damage your kidneys.
- Regular exercise is also very important. In this way, you will reduce the risk of diabetes , obesity and hypertension, and will strengthen your muscles, which will positively influence kidney health.
- Smoking and heavy drinking compromise kidney health, so you should avoid these harmful habits.
It is recommended that before the slightest doubt or suffering, you can consult a specialist to prevent problems from worsening