Why Is Kidney Failure Increasing? 6 Signs Of Bad Kidneys That You Should Know Early
May 22, 2024
What is kidney failure? [2,6]
The kidneys are called "silent organs" because many patients with chronic kidney disease have no obvious symptoms in the early stages. When diagnosed, they already have end-stage renal failure, also called end-stage renal disease, commonly known as "uremia" (GFR <15ml/min, large Serum creatinine in some patients exceeds 707μmoI/L)
Click to Cistanche for kidney disease
At this time, renal replacement therapy (such as hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, or kidney transplantation) is required to maintain life, seriously affecting the quality of life and causing financial difficulties.
The so-called kidney failure means that the function of the kidneys is severely damaged and cannot properly eliminate waste products and excess water from the body. It is divided into two types: acute renal failure and chronic renal failure.
Acute kidney failure usually occurs within hours to days and can be caused by things like severe infection, drug toxicity, or acute kidney injury.
Chronic renal failure develops gradually due to long-term kidney disease. Common causes are some chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, and chronic glomerulonephritis.
Whether your kidneys are good or not depends on these 6 places [1-3]
Most patients with kidney disease may have no obvious symptoms in the early stages, or may only present with fatigue, loss of appetite, and low back pain. Once abnormal kidney function is detected on physical examination, even if the blood creatinine level is slightly higher, it means that the kidney damage is serious.
Manifestations of early kidney disease [6-7]
If you pay attention, early kidney disease still has some specific manifestations:
1. Ankles and eyelids: swelling
One of the earliest symptoms that people with kidney disease may experience. After getting up early, I found that my eyelids and cheeks were swollen, and my ankles were swollen during my lunch break. Moreover, edema changes with changes in body posture.
Why does kidney failure first manifest as edema? Edema is also called edema. When the glomerular function is damaged, water will accumulate in the body and cannot be excreted normally, leading to edema.
2. Increased blood pressure
As the glomerular filtration rate decreases, water and sodium in the body cannot be excreted, causing blood pressure to rise. Fluctuations in the condition are sometimes manifested in large fluctuations in blood pressure.
3. Urine: foamy, turbid, dark in color
You may notice that your urine is foamy or becomes cloudy, which may be a sign of proteinuria. Some patients may see blood in their urine, but others may need a microscope to see hematuria. When urinating, pay attention to whether the color of the urine is reddish or dark.
There is a small amount of foam in the urine that people excrete after strenuous exercise, excessive physical fatigue, or getting up in the morning. These foams usually dissipate quickly. Certain metabolic diseases can cause proteins to leak into the urine, producing more foam, and these foams will not dissipate for a long time.
4. Waist: soreness
After suffering from glomerular disease, you will often feel discomfort in your waist, with a dull ache or soreness.
5. Easily feel tired and weak
Always feeling tired is caused by the inability of urea and other substances in the body of patients with kidney disease to be excreted. The renal function of patients with kidney disease decreases, glomerular permeability increases, and a large amount of protein is excreted from the body in the urine. Hypoalbuminemia will occur, and patients often suffer from general weakness and other symptoms.
6. Sudden loss of appetite
Patients with kidney disease will experience systemic symptoms such as loss of appetite due to protein loss in the body.
If you have the above symptoms, it is recommended to see a doctor immediately to avoid delaying the condition.
Manifestations of renal failure [5-8]
As the disease progresses and kidney failure occurs, the following symptoms may occur:
1. General edema and weight gain
If there is edema all over the body, sudden weight gain, or even pleural effusion or ascites, do not think it is weight gain. Press the calf or ankle with the fingertips. If an obvious or deep depression appears and recovers slowly, it may be moderate or severe edema.
2. Changes in urine output
A sudden increase or decrease in urine output may be a sign of chronic kidney disease. People who urinate 2-3 times or more at night should be especially vigilant.
3. Nausea and vomiting
Because toxins cannot be excreted by the kidneys in time, many patients with kidney disease will experience symptoms such as loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting.
4. Extreme fatigue and weakness
5. Itchy skin
Toxins cannot be discharged, irritating the sensory nerves of the skin and causing secondary hyperparathyroidism, leading to skin calcium deposition, sweat gland atrophy, eczema, etc.
6.Anemia
Erythropoietin produced by the kidneys is closely related to hemoglobin production. If the patient has renal failure, severe anemia will occur.
7. Shortness of breath
In renal failure, the kidney's ability to drain and detoxify decreases, and the body develops metabolic acidosis, which affects myocardial contractility, resulting in symptoms of shortness of breath.
8. Chest pain or pressure
The kidney function of patients with renal failure decreases, causing the body's metabolites to accumulate in the body, and the respiratory movement of the chest will be restricted. Because breathing is more laborious, hypoxia may occur, causing chest pain.
9. Epileptic seizure or coma in severe cases
When there are too many toxins in the blood that affect the function of the central nervous system, epileptic seizures may occur. Decreased kidney metabolism can cause potassium ions to remain in the body, causing hyperkalemia, which can lead to slowed heart rate, cardiac arrest and coma.
Whether you have kidney disease or not, just looking at the symptoms is not enough [2]
Early detection and early treatment are crucial for patients with kidney disease. Just looking at symptoms is not enough. Blood tests, urine tests and renal B-ultrasound are required. According to different indicators, the health status of the kidneys can be basically assessed.
Chronic kidney disease diagnosis:
At least one of the following indicators must be met:
1. Kidney damage indicators: any one of the following is considered
Albuminuria [urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR)>30 mg/g
Abnormal urine sediment
Electrolytes and other abnormalities caused by abnormal renal tubular function
Abnormal renal histology
Abnormal renal imaging
History of kidney transplantation
2. Decreased kidney function lasts for more than 3 months
Decline in renal function is mainly seen when glomerular filtration rate (GFR) <60 ml·min-1·(1.73m2)-1
Which groups of people are prone to kidney problems? [2,3]
An elderly patient with diabetes for 20 years has had increased urination at night for the past five years and has not been to the hospital. Afterward, he developed severe fatigue, nausea, and vomiting. When he went to the hospital, a test showed that his urine protein was 4+, his hemoglobin was only 70g/L. Normally, it should be above 120g/L (indicating severe anemia), and his serum creatinine level reached 650μmol/L. The patient had kidney disease. Has developed to the uremia stage.
The incidence of chronic kidney disease in the global general population has reached as high as 14.3%. A survey in my country shows that 10.8% of people over the age of 18 are sick, that is, 1 in 10 people has chronic kidney disease. The aging of my country's population and the high incidence of diabetes and hypertension have also contributed to the increase in the incidence of chronic kidney disease.
People at high risk of chronic kidney disease, including diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and family history of kidney disease, the elderly, especially those with diabetes and hypertension, are recommended to be screened regularly.
Guidelines recommend that these high-risk groups be screened at least once a year, including urinary albumin and eGFR calculated based on serum creatinine. If there are no conditions for quantitative testing of urine protein, you can consider using urine routine for preliminary screening, and then do urine albumin (or protein) testing if there are abnormalities.
Guidelines recommend: Keep these methods to protect your kidneys [3, 6]
1. Moderate and regular exercise
As kidney function gradually deteriorates, the decline in cardiopulmonary function and muscle atrophy in patients with chronic kidney disease will become more and more serious, affecting the quality of life.
In the past, it was believed that people with poor kidneys should rest more and avoid fatigue. However, the latest guidelines recommend that patients with chronic kidney disease engage in appropriate and regular exercise to reduce inflammation in the body and delay the deterioration of kidney function. (Be careful not to exercise too much, as it can easily lead to kidney failure)
Results from one study (including 16 randomized controlled trials and 22 observational studies) showed that patients who performed aerobic, resistance and respiratory training had a better physical function, muscle wasting, and depression compared with patients who did not exercise. Symptoms decreased and quality of life improved.
Another study (including 24 randomized controlled trials with a total of 997 hemodialysis patients) showed that compared with patients who did not exercise, patients who exercised had lower urea clearance index, maximum oxygen consumption, and physical activity (such as walking for 6 minutes). Distance and 60-second sit-to-stand test) were significantly improved.
2. Low sodium diet
Patients with chronic kidney disease need to control their sodium (salt) intake, and the daily sodium intake should be less than 2.3 grams. Sodium ions are very important for the body's water balance. If patients with chronic kidney disease take in too much sodium or cannot excrete it, it will affect the body's renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) function and lead to body water imbalance.
3. Protein intake
Regardless of whether they have diabetes or not, patients with stage 1 to 2 chronic kidney disease should not eat a high-protein diet. Protein intake is 0.8~1.0g·kg-1·d-1; non-dialysis patients with stable metabolism in stages 3 to 5 of chronic kidney disease should limit protein intake in their diet, which can reduce the risk of uremia and death. risks of. At the same time, the intake proportion of plant protein (tofu, soy milk) can be increased appropriately.
4. Quit smoking
It is recommended that patients with chronic kidney disease stop smoking to reduce proteinuria and delay the progression of the disease. Smoking causes a range of kidney problems, such as endothelial cell dysfunction, inflammation, oxidative stress, glomerulosclerosis, and tubular atrophy. People who smoke for a long time are prone to proteinuria and renal insufficiency.
summary
Kidney failure is a very serious disease that often has no obvious symptoms in the early stages and is easily ignored. If you pay attention to the body's abnormal signals early and seek medical treatment in time, you may have a chance to control the condition and avoid it from progressing to a very serious stage.
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.
