Know The Kidney, Know The Kidney Disease

The kidneys are paired lentil-shaped organs, reddish brown, located in shallow pits on both sides of the retroperitoneal spine.

Its basic function is to produce urine, so as to remove metabolites and certain wastes and poisons in the body, while retaining water and other useful substances such as glucose, protein, amino acids, sodium ions, potassium ions, sodium bicarbonate, etc. through the reabsorption function to regulate water and electrolyte balance and maintain acid-base balance.

The kidney also has endocrine function, producing renin, erythropoietin, active vitamin D3, prostaglandin, kinin, etc., and is the degradation site of some endocrine hormones in the body and the target organ of extrarenal hormones. These functions of the kidney ensure the stability of the body's internal environment and enable metabolism to proceed normally.

Click to Cistanche for kidney disease

Learn about chronic kidney disease

According to the Guidelines for Screening, Diagnosis and Prevention of Chronic Kidney Disease, chronic kidney disease is defined as abnormal kidney structure or function for > 3 months. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is diagnosed with any of the indicators of kidney injury (proteinuria, abnormal urinary sediment, tubular related lesions, histological abnormalities, structural abnormalities seen on imaging, history of kidney transplantation) or decreased glomerular filtration rate for more than 3 months.

10 signs and manifestations of chronic kidney disease

edema

Edema is the characteristic manifestation of kidney disease, and it is also one of the most common symptoms of patients to the renal department. Many patients see the renal department because of edema.

The two most common sites of edema are: areas with loose tissue such as the eyelids and face; Edema in low-lying areas such as lower limbs.

【 Explanation 】 Chronic kidney disease, sodium excretion disorder, sodium water retention, excessive water in the body will appear edema, this edema usually starts in the area of loose tissue such as eyelids and face; In addition, severe kidney disease, a large amount of protein is lost from the urine, low plasma albumin, there will be low protein edema, this edema mainly occurs in the lower leg.

There's foam in the urine

Generally speaking, the urine of normal people is clear, yellowish, no foam or a small amount of foam, but if the protein and sugar content of urine is high, it will foam, and the severe person is similar to hops.

Urine foam is not necessarily proteinuria and glycosuria, but serious proteinuria and glycosuria will appear foam urine, found foam urine must go to the hospital to check urine routine. A small amount of protein in the urine often does not feel any discomfort, and nothing abnormal is visible to the naked eye. However, now the health examination is more popular, many patients are urine routine examination found proteinuria.

The kidney is the "filter" of the human body, and the filter membrane of the normal kidney is complete, allowing only small molecules of metabolic waste to be discharged, and large molecules of protein can not come out. However, after the kidney filter membrane is damaged, the protein in the blood will leak into the urine to form proteinuria.

hematuria

A few serious hematuria can be seen by the naked eye, like "meat washing water", or even heavier like blood, you can also see blood clots, which is called "naked hematuria". In other cases, the urine is dark red or soy sauce color, usually seen in acute myolysis or acute hemolysis.

There is gross hematuria or soy sauce color urine, generally the first time will see a doctor. In most cases, there are only a small number of red blood cells in the urine, which cannot be seen by the naked eye and can only be seen through a microscope, called "microscopic hematuria". Like proteinuria, microscopic hematuria is also found by urine test.

【 Explanation 】 The cause of hematuria is similar to proteinuria, which means that the filtration membrane of the kidney is damaged.

hypertension

Especially young people with high blood pressure, to suspect that there is a problem with the kidney. We often say that high blood pressure, if not specified, refers to essential hypertension, essential hypertension mostly after the age of 40.

After kidney damage, there will also be high blood pressure, which is called renal hypertension. Renal hypertension is the hypertension caused by various chronic kidney diseases, mainly divided into renal parenchymatous hypertension and renal vascular hypertension. Because hypertension and kidney disease are closely related, mutual etiological and aggravating factors, controlling hypertension can delay the progression of chronic kidney disease, protect kidney function, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular events.

The kidney is the most important organ for regulating blood pressure in the human body. After kidney damage, sodium and water retention, increased blood volume, causing high blood pressure. But the main reason is that after kidney damage, it will secrete a hormone called "renin", which causes high blood pressure.

Increased serum creatinine

A mild or moderate increase in creatinine is not felt and can only be detected by a blood test. Increased creatinine means decreased kidney function.

【 Explanation 】 Blood creatinine is the metabolic waste of the human body, the amount produced every day is relatively constant, and most of the blood creatinine is excreted through the glomerulus, so according to the increase of blood creatinine level, kidney function decline.

Urine volume change

Normal adult 24-hour urine volume is about 1500ml, urine volume less than 700ml is called reduced urine volume, urine volume less than 400ml is called oliguria, less than 100ml is called anuria, more than 2500ml is called polyuria.

Normal adults generally do not urinate at night, if the habitual night up 2-3 times or more, and the night urine volume is greater than 1/3 of the total urine volume in 24 hours, said night urine increase.

【 Explanation 】 99% of the water discharged by the glomeruli is absorbed back by the renal tubules, and the urine secreted at night is almost completely absorbed back, so normal people have no urine at night. However, when the renal tubules were damaged, the absorptive capacity decreased and the nocturnal urine volume increased. The common causes of chronic tubular injury include hypertensive kidney disease caused by long-term hypertension and drug-induced kidney injury caused by long-term use of drugs that damage the kidney.

Frequent, urgent and painful urination

The above collectively referred to as urinary tract irritation sign, is the characteristic manifestation of urinary tract infection, but also one of the common manifestations of kidney disease.

The two ureteral openings and urethral openings in the bladder are a triangle area, and when a certain amount of urine is stored in the bladder, the stimulation of the bladder triangle will produce urination and urination. However, if the bladder is infected, the infected secretions repeatedly stimulate the triangle and produce frequent urination.

He was pale and weak

If the face is pale and the whole body is weak, anemia cannot be ruled out.

In more serious kidney disease, renal anemia will occur after the glomerular filtration rate is less than 60 ml/min, which is characterized by pale complexion, pale eye conjunctiva, pale and dull lip nails. And the severity of anemia often coincides with the degree of renal failure.

In general, because of physiological reasons, middle-aged and young women are more prone to anemia, and male anemia is less common. If a man develops anemia, be sure to check kidney function.

The kidneys secrete erythropoietin, which promotes the production of red blood cells. Chronic kidney disease, kidney secretion of erythropoietin reduced, red blood cell production disorders, anemia will appear, called renal anemia.

Renal shrinkage

Kidney atrophy is also invisible, is found during physical examination.

The normal kidney is 10cm long and the renal cortex is 1.5cm thick. Renal atrophy is considered if the kidney is less than 9cm or the renal cortex is less than 1.2cm.

Explanation: Chronic kidney disease is not cured for a long time, there will be glomerular sclerosis, renal interstitial fibrosis, as cirrhosis of the liver atrophy, kidney atrophy. Renal function must have decreased when the kidneys atrophied.

Osteoporosis, repeated fractures

After renal function is impaired, ischemic calcium, hyperphosphorus, osteoporosis, and severe osteoporosis occur repeatedly with fractures.

Vitamin D produced by ultraviolet radiation in the skin must be activated by the kidneys to become active. After renal function is impaired, active vitamin D is deficient, calcium absorption is impaired, and the loss is increased, and phosphorus excretion is impaired, and a series of calcium and phosphorus metabolism disorders appear.

Who are susceptible to chronic kidney disease

The three most common kidney diseases in China are diabetic nephropathy, chronic glomerulonephritis and hypertensive kidney disease, so the following people should be vigilant!
10 categories of high-risk groups

1. Diabetic patients;

2. Chronic patients with repeated respiratory tract, urethra and intestinal infections are prone to glomerulonephritis;

3. Patients with hypertension;

4. Patients with hyperuricemia;

5, long-term use of painkillers, antibiotics, Chinese medicine and other nephrotoxic drugs;

6. Seniors over 65 years old;

7. Family history of chronic kidney disease;

8. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic small vasculitis, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases;

9, repeated purpura;

10, elderly prostate hyperplasia or habit of holding urine.

What bad habits hurt the kidney?

According to the data of the national hemodialysis patient registry, the proportion of patients between 20 and 44 years old has been increasing significantly in recent years.
Therefore, young people should not relax their vigilance! Especially busy white-collar workers, because many of their work habits are very "kidney damage."
First, long-term work in front of the computer, lack of exercise, sedentary;
The second is to work overtime and stay up late, and like to order takeout when working overtime, binge drinking, or smoking in order to refresh yourself when working overtime, which will make the kidney in a long-term working state and not rest, thereby increasing the burden on the kidney, leading to kidney damage.

【 Suggestion 】

The first is not to hold urine often, because bacteria are easy to multiply when holding urine, easy to cause urinary tract infection.

Second, you need to quit smoking, long-term smoking will increase the risk of high blood pressure, which can lead to kidney disease. In addition, be careful not to exercise too much, inappropriate exercise induced rhabdomyolysis, and even lead to acute kidney failure.

"Kidney Care" health tips

1. Don't hold your urine too often

2. Don't smoke or drink

3. Don't overdo it

4. Don't overeat

5. Don't stay up late too often

6. Don't abuse drugs

Screening for kidney disease

1. Routine kidney examination includes routine urine, renal function, color ultrasound of urinary system, etc.

2. More complex items include urinary microalbumin/creatinine, urinary protein quantification, urinary contrast microscopy, estimation of glomerular filtration rate, etc.

3. Professional examinations include renal histopathology, renal function imaging, gene testing, etc.

At present, the international advocate for the early screening of chronic kidney disease "three steps" :

First of all, we must measure blood pressure, hypertension is an important cause of chronic kidney disease, but also the main clinical manifestation of chronic kidney disease;

Secondly, urine protein was detected by routine urine examination.

Third, check kidney function.

When should kidney function be screened?

1, patients over 35 years old first check blood pressure, hypertension before the age of 40, must be performed urine routine, kidney function, double kidney ultrasound and other tests;
2, urine routine as a routine physical examination items. Those with abnormal urine tests should undergo complex and even professional kidney tests;
3, more than 5 years of hypertension, diabetes, hyperuricemia patients must undergo urine routine, urinary microalbumin/creatinine, kidney function, double kidney color ultrasound and other tests;
4, the elderly over 65 years old to carry out routine kidney examination;
5, repeated respiratory infections, recurring purpura to perform routine kidney examination;
6, long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (antipyretic analgesics), traditional Chinese medicine to perform routine kidney examination;
7, people with a family history of kidney disease should have regular routine kidney examinations.

How Does Cistanche Treat Kidney Disease?

Cistanche is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine used for centuries to treat various health conditions, including kidney disease. It is derived from the dried stems of Cistanche deserticola, a plant native to the deserts of China and Mongolia. The main active components of cistanche are phenylethanoid glycosides, echinacoside, and acteoside, which have been found to have beneficial effects on kidney health.

Kidney disease, also known as renal disease, refers to a condition in which the kidneys are not functioning properly. This can result in a buildup of waste products and toxins in the body, leading to various symptoms and complications. Cistanche may help treat kidney disease ase through several mechanisms.

Firstly, cistanche has been found to have diuretic properties, meaning it can increase urine production and help eliminate waste products from the body. This can help relieve the burden on the kidneys and prevent the buildup of toxins. By promoting diuresis, cistanche may also help Reduce high blood pressure, a common complication of kidney disease.

Moreover, cistanche has been shown to have antioxidant effects. Oxidative stress, caused by an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the body's antioxidant defenses, plays a key role in the progression of kidney disease. ies help neutralize free radicals and reduce Oxidative stress, thereby protecting the kidneys from damage. The phenylethanoid glycosides found in cistanche have been particularly effective in scavenging free radicals and inhibiting lipid peroxidation.

Additionally, cistanche has been found to have anti-inflammatory effects. Inflammation is another key factor in the development and progression of kidney disease. Cistanche's anti-inflammatory properties help reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and inhibit the activation of inflammation mandatory pathways, thus alleviating inflammation in the kidneys.

Furthermore, cistanche has been shown to have immunomodulatory effects. In kidney disease, the immune system can be dysregulated, leading to excessive inflammation and tissue damage. Cistanche helps regulate the immune response by modulating the production and activity of immune cells, such as T cells and macrophages. This immune regulation helps reduce inflammation and prevent further damage to the kidneys.

Moreover, cistanche has been found to improve renal function by promoting the regeneration of renal tubes with cells. Renal tubular epithelial cells play a crucial role in the filtration and reabsorption of waste products and electrolytes. In kidney disease, these cells can be damaged, leading to damaged renal function. Cistanche's ability to promote the regeneration of these cells helps restore proper renal function and improve overall kidney health.

In addition to these direct effects on the kidneys, cistanche has been found to have beneficial effects on other organs and systems in the body. This holistic approach to health is particularly important in kidney disease, as the condition often affects multiple organs and systems. che has been shown to have protective effects on the liver, heart, and blood vessels, which are commonly affected by kidney disease. By promoting the health of these organs, cistanche helps improve overall kidney function and prevent further complications.

In conclusion, cistanche is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine used for centuries to treat kidney disease. Its active components have diuretic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and regenerative effects, which help improve renal function and protect the kidneys from further damage. , cistanche has beneficial effects on other organs and systems, making it a holistic approach to treating kidney disease.