The 9th of Mach this year is World Kidney Day which aims to create awareness about our kidneys to improve health and prevent kidney diseases. Nigeria just recently lost a great actor, Prince James Uche following complications of kidney disease due to diabetes. This is quite unfortunate because diabetes is preventable. Even if a person has diabetes, with adequate care it can be controlled. If diabetes is not treated properly, it leads to complications such as kidney disease. Hypertension is another major cause of kidney disease. The good news is that just like diabetes, hypertension is also preventable or can be properly controlled with adequate treatment.
This year’s theme for world kidney day is “Kidney Disease & Obesity. Healthy Lifestyle for Healthy Kidneys”. Studies have shown that obesity increases one’s chances of developing chronic kidney disease. If you are obese, you need to take active measures to lose weight. It cannot be stressed enough that prevention is better than cure. World Kidney Day is a great opportunity to know some common signs of kidney disease.
5 SIGNS OF KIDNEY DISEASE TO LOOK OUT FOR;
Passing too little urine– the kidneys main function is to remove toxic waste from the body through the urine. When the kidneys are not functioning properly, they produce less urine.
Weakness, fatigue, breathlessness– the kidney produces a hormone called erythropoietin which is very important in the formation of red blood cells. In people that have kidney diseases, there is usually anaemia (low blood level). Another reason for the breathlessness is because fluid may accumulate in the lungs and this can cause difficulty in breathing.
Leg, hands, face swelling– this happens because the kidneys are not functioning properly to excrete fluid, so there is accumulation of fluid in the body thereby causing leg swelling. The swelling could also affect the hands or the face.
Passing foamy urine- People with kidney disease may notice that their urine foams (frothy urine). This points likely to leakage of protein in the kidneys and this points to worsening kidney damage.
Change in sleep pattern- Patients who have kidney disease tend to sleep more during the day and are awake at night. This is as a result of accumulation of toxins in the brain in a condition known as uraemic encephalopathy.
It is very important to note that a lot of the time, kidney diseases do not cause symptoms until a significant portion of the kidney has been damaged. This means that the best way to know if your kidneys are okay is to get tested for your kidney functions regularly. You can prevent kidney diseases by making it a habit to stop smoking, always drink plenty of water, monitor your blood sugar and blood pressure closely (home kits are available for these), keep fit with regular exercise and maintain a healthy weight.
If you have any of the above symptoms, get to the nearest hospital and seek medical attention. Remember, early treatment goes a long way to prevent complications that can lead to death.
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