Chronic Kidney Disease: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

by Edward G. Guest Blogger

If you have kidney disease, your kidneys will stop working properly. CKD (chronic kidney disease) means your kidney function will worsen over time. The two common causes of CKD are diabetes and high blood pressure. While there’s no cure for CKD, certain steps may be undertaken to preserve function for as long as possible. In the case of late-stage kidney disease, a kidney transplant or dialysis may be required.

Symptoms

If your kidneys are beginning to fail, you’ll notice at least one of the following symptoms:

§ Trouble sleeping

§ Trouble catching your breath

§ Not enough or too much urine

§ Swelling in your ankles and feet

§ Not feeling hungry

§ Vomiting and nausea

§ Muscle cramps

§ Itching

If your kidneys suddenly stop working (acute kidney failure), you may notice at least one of the following symptoms:

§ Vomiting

§ Rash

§ Nosebleeds

§ Fever

§ Diarrhea

§ Back pain

§ Abdominal (belly) pain

Having at least one of the symptoms above may be a sign of serious kidney problems. If you notice any of these symptoms, you should get in touch with your doctor straight away.

Diagnosis

During the diagnosis of CKD, a doctor may ask the patient about their symptoms and check for signs of CKD. They may also order the following tests:

GFR

This demonstrates how well an individual’s kidney is filtering waste.

Chest X-ray

To check for pulmonary edema (a fluid retained in the lungs), an X-ray is done.

Kidney biopsy

The doctor examines a small sample of kidney tissue for cell damage. By analyzing kidney tissue, it becomes easy to make an accurate diagnosis of kidney disease.

Kidney scans

Typically, doctors use ultrasound scans to evaluate the kidney’s shape and size. They may also use a CT scan or an MRI in some cases. CT scans aren’t a common choice because they involve dyes that are toxic to the kidneys.

Urine test

To determine whether or not albumin is present, a urine test is done. When the kidneys are damaged, albumin is present in urine.

Treatment

Treating end-stage kidney disease

You may end up developing near-complete or complete kidney failure if your kidneys can’t keep up with fluid and waste clearance on their own. At this point, you’ll either need a kidney transplant or dialysis.

Treating complications

To make you more comfortable, controlling kidney disease complications is important. Treatments might include:

§ Minimizing waste products in your blood through a lower protein diet: When your body starts processing protein from foods, it produces waste products that your kidneys should filter from your blood. Your doctor might recommend eating less protein to reduce the amount of work your kidneys should do.

Many registered dieticians can recommend ways to lower your protein intake while still maintaining a healthy diet.

§ Medications to protect your bones: Vitamin D and calcium supplements can lower your risk of fracture by preventing weak bones. You might also take a phosphate binder, which is a medication that lowers the amount of phosphate in your blood and safeguards your blood vessels from damage by calcium deposits (calcification).

§ Medications to lower cholesterol levels: To lower your cholesterol, your doctor might recommend medications known as statins. Often, individuals with chronic kidney disease have high levels of bad cholesterol, which may raise the risk of heart disease.

§ Medications to treat anemia: Sometimes with added iron, supplements of the hormone erythropoietin help produce more red blood cells. This might relieve weakness and fatigue associated with anemia.

§ Medications to relieve swelling: Usually, individuals with chronic kidney disease retain fluids. This can lead to high blood pressure and swelling in the legs. Some medications like diuretics can help maintain the balance of fluids in your body.

§ High blood pressure medications: Individuals with kidney disease may see their high blood pressure worsen. To lower your blood pressure, your doctor may recommend medications such as angiotensin II receptor blockers or angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors to preserve kidney function.

Treating the cause

Your doctor will work to control or slow the cause of your kidney disease. Depending on the cause, treatment options vary. However, kidney damage may worsen even when an underlying condition, like high blood pressure or diabetes mellitus, has been controlled.

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