How is a family of a person with polycystic kidney disease affected?

by Rahul Kumar Health and Medical

What is polycystic kidney disease?

Polycystic kidney disease is a genetic kidney disorder that runs in the family by transferring from a parent to its offspring. It is also known as PKD and its main cause is defective genes. The problems within genes can create a line of unhealthy individuals in a family. Polycystic kidney disease causes the formation of sacs filled with noncancerous fluids which are known as cysts. These cysts are dangerous and hinder kidney function by spreading in the kidneys. A kidney that is filled with cysts can experience impaired kidney function because cysts replace the tissues within the kidneys and causes kidneys to become larger than their normal size. The abnormal size of the kidneys can result in the abnormal functioning of its duties due to which the whole balance of the body is interrupted. Due to impaired kidney function and the development of cysts, other organs can also face dire consequences and experience complications. Because cysts can also metastasize to other organs in your body. That is why this inherited kidney disease is identified by cysts and a kidney filled with cysts can experience malfunction due to which it goes into kidney failure or end-stage renal disease. One or both kidneys can face the increased growth of cysts and these cysts keep on growing until they have crushed the healthy tissues which result in kidneys stopping functioning completely. Polycystic kidney disease is the fourth leading cause of kidney failure and wrecks the entire systematic functions of other organs. 

What are the causes of Polycystic kidney disease?

Abnormal genes are the main causes of polycystic kidney disease which results in abnormal kidney function. Two forms of polycystic kidney disease can define the causes of polycystic kidney disease accordingly.

●     Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD): The signs and symptoms of this form of PKD develop between the age group 30 and 50. This type is also the most common cause of polycystic kidney disease and single parent with the mutated gene can obtain 50% chances for the children to inherit the disease.

●     Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD): It is not as common in people as autosomal dominant PKD is. In this form of PKD, both parents are the carriers of the defective genes and create a 25% chance for the child to get the disease. The signs and symptoms appear after birth and sometimes they do not appear until late in childhood or during adolescence. 

What are the symptoms of Polycystic kidney disease?

The symptoms will not be visible in the initial stages of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. The growth of cysts usually begins during the teenage years as the cysts move on to replace the healthy tissues within the kidneys. The linings of kidneys appear irregular. The symptoms that usually develop between the age 30 and 40 includes:

●     High blood pressure.

●     Side or back pain.

●     Headaches.

●     Abdominal pain.

●     Bloating in the abdominal area.

●     Bloody urine.

●     Urinary tract infections.

●     Kidney stones.

●     Abnormal heart valves.

●     Impaired kidney function or kidney failure.

 

The symptoms of autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease include:

●     Lack of amniotic fluid that surrounds the baby in the uterus.

●     The unusual shape of the face due to reduced amniotic fluid.

●     The child's abdomen is enlarged due to the abnormal size of the kidney, liver or spleen.

●     Cardiac defects.

●     The lungs of the child are not fully developed.

●     Kidney failure at birth or in the first few weeks of life.

 

When to see the doctor?

If you experience the symptoms that are associated with any form of polycystic kidney disease or you have a family history of the major kidney disease. It is important for you to book an appointment with the doctor and seek medical advice about what treatment you are going to opt for. 

 

How is the family of a person with polycystic kidney disease affected?

The main motive of inherited kidney disease is that they create a massive impact on the health of individuals in the family of a person with PKD. It can affect the mental and physical well being of the PKD patient as well as its family. The risk of being diagnosed with the disease is always in the family. The treatment of polycystic kidney disease also creates a disturbance in their peaceful life as it shakes up their financial stability. Modern doctors prescribe dialysis for the patient and this procedure is one of the expensive and painful treatments. The use of man-made machines in order to replace the functioning of kidneys by filtering the blood artificially can cost quite a lot. This treatment can create a strike of complications for the patient and most of the patients undergoing dialysis often go into depression and show no sign to fight the disease. The family of a patient, after seeing their close one suffering this much, is affected miserably. Polycystic kidney disease targets kidneys but it also provides irreparable damage to the mental, physical and spiritual health of the patient’s family.

This disease can pass from one generation to another and is caused by mutations in the genes. The abnormal genes become a passage for the disease to travel on to the next generation’s body. Even children of PKD patients are not spared by this disease. The disease can create a string of dire consequences for the children’s body and makes it harder for the children to settle in the normal environment as it affects them mentally.

 

The bottom line is that the family of a person with polycystic kidney disease is affected due to the painful journey of the patient’s treatment and societal norms that do not normalise a disease. Society thinks that” the diseases which can transfer from one person to another can prove to be hazardous for the people around the carriers of the disease”. This is wrong at every level, people need to know the difference between inherited diseases and communicable diseases. Patients with PKD should opt for a treatment that does not create harmful impacts on their body. The ayurvedic treatment for polycystic kidney disease keeps the well being of the patient and their family in mind. The treatment is patient-friendly and affordable. It creates a sense of satisfaction for the family and relieves the patient from developing symptoms and complications with the help of a natural and effective treatment plan. Ayurvedic treatment defies allopathic medications or dialysis. It uses herbal medications, customised diet charts and natural healing therapies that work in the betterment of the patient and its family’s mental, physical and financial health.

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Created on May 28th 2021 05:23. Viewed 369 times.

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