Why does kidney failure occur? Symptoms and consequences, as well as the causes of this pathology will be presented below. We will also tell you if this disease is treatable.
basic information
The failure of the kidneys, the symptoms of which should be known to all patients, is a serious pathology in which the paired organ of the renal system lose all ability to filter fluid and blood. As a result of this phenomenon, the entire chemical balance of the human body is disturbed.
Symptoms of kidney failure are few known. Therefore, in this article, we decided to describe all the signs of this disease. After all, it is mortally dangerous, and therefore requires immediate contact with an experienced specialist.
If the patient recognized all the symptoms of kidney failure on time and the treatment was selected correctly, then such a disease is quite successfully corrected.
The essence of the problem
Symptoms of kidney failure in a person can be different. It depends on the severity and type of disease. Experts say that renal failure is of two types:
About what features such pathological conditions have, we will tell further.
Chronic kidney disease
Symptoms of kidney failure in the chronic course of the disease proceed gradually. Signs of the disease can grow, disappear, and also appear suddenly. This state of affairs makes the diagnostic process rather difficult.
The following diseases lead to chronic impaired renal function with their subsequent failure:
- pyelonephritis;
- kidney tuberculosis;
- nephritis;
- hydronephrosis;
- oncology;
- polycystic kidney disease.
Various endocrine diseases, cardiovascular pathologies and others can also have their negative effects.
According to experts, the postponement of symptoms in renal pathologies occurs due to the fact that over time, healthy tissue of paired organs compensates for the victim. But soon the damaged tissues grow so much that the kidneys stop functioning normally.
Acute form of the disease
Symptoms of kidney failure during the development of acute failure can develop within a few hours. Sometimes such pathological changes take several days.
Most often, kidney failure occurs unexpectedly. It can be observed even against the background of well-being of the patient. The consequences in this case can be dire.
As a rule, a similar problem develops due to a violation of the water balance in the human body, problems with blood circulation and others. Due to these disorders in the kidneys, the accumulation of decay products occurs, which, in fact, is the cause of intoxication.
Main reasons
Renal failure can occur for various reasons. At the same time, experts argue that such a pathological condition most often occurs due to:
- renal failure, which is formed due to problems in the work in the renal parenchyma;
- prerenal insufficiency, developing due to circulatory disorders;
- postrenal insufficiency, which is formed due to obstruction of the urinary tract.
Also, experts recommend paying attention to those problems that can act as a catalyst for the pathology under consideration. This can be serious burns to the body, and an increase in the level of potassium in the blood, and prolonged dehydration, and so on.
What are the symptoms of kidney failure?
As mentioned above, the signs of failure of the renal system can be different. However, they are all quite characteristic. And if you observe at least one of the symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor.
So how does kidney failure occur? Symptoms (death with this pathology occurs only in acute and severe conditions) of the said condition are as follows:
- the patient has nausea, loss of appetite and vomiting;
- serious problems with urination appear (may partially interrupt or stop completely);
- weakness and malaise are observed;
- such a common sign as swelling develops;
- body weight increases significantly (as a rule, this occurs due to the accumulation of excess water in the tissues);
- severe abdominal pains are felt, as well as skin itching and others.
It should be noted that all of these symptoms should especially pay attention to themselves if, against their background, a problem such as the appearance of blood in the urine develops.
Other symptoms
What other symptoms may indicate kidney failure? According to the doctors, if the treatment of the disease in question was not started on time, then the following can join the main symptoms listed above:
- problems with consciousness;
- dyspnea;
- drowsiness;
- the appearance of hematomas on the body.
In addition, in advanced cases, signs of renal failure become more severe. Often, patients experience fainting and even coma.
Possible consequences
Now you know why kidney failure occurs. Symptoms (blood sugar with this pathology may be normal, and may increase), accompanied by a similar phenomenon were also presented above.
According to experts, the consequences of the pathology in question can be deadly. Very often, complete renal failure is preceded by necrosis, that is, the death of the tissues of paired organs. Such a process can cause the development of a rather serious infection.
It should also be noted that with chronic kidney failure due to prolonged accumulation of toxic substances, the patient may experience problems with the nervous system, as well as severe cramps.
The consequences of kidney failure include the development of anemia. In addition, the heart and blood vessels suffer. This happens due to the fact that the fluid that is retained in the body gives a double load to the entire vascular system.
It should be noted that the abnormal work of the kidneys often leads to problems with the strength of bone and cartilage.
Treatment process
Treatment for renal failure should be done in stages. Only an experienced specialist is entitled to carry out therapy, who relies on the results of analysis and other medical studies.
Acute renal failure can be completely cured. As for chronic, the treatment of such a disease is a rather lengthy process. In this case, a complete cure may not come.
Each stage of the disease involves the implementation of specific actions:
- The first stage is the treatment of the underlying disease, which involves the elimination of inflammation in the kidneys. For these purposes, doctors prescribe antibiotics and the use of herbal decoctions (infusions from ready-made pharmacy fees, lingonberry leaf, plantain, coltsfoot leaves, bird mountaineer, horsetail, birch leaves). Also, birch and pumpkin juices are used as additional funds.
- The second stage involves reducing the rate of progression of renal failure through the use of herbal preparations such as Lespenefri and Hofitol.
- The third stage of the disease involves the treatment of possible complications, namely anemia, arterial hypertension, cardiovascular complications.
- The fourth stage provides supportive therapy, which includes blood transfusion, as well as preparation for replacement treatment - peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis.
- The fifth stage of treatment is associated with renal replacement therapy.
It should also be noted that if the kidneys are unable to perform their main function, patients undergo an intraperitoneal dialysis or hemodialysis procedure using the "artificial kidney" apparatus.
In very severe and neglected cases, an urgent transplant of a donor organ is required.
To summarize
From the foregoing, we can safely conclude that early diagnosis, as well as the correct treatment of renal failure, will stop the disease and prevent the development of complications.
A low-protein diet with a limited intake of sodium and phosphorus has a special role in the treatment of such diseases. It should be remembered that self-medication in case of kidney failure is life-threatening, therefore, when observing the main symptoms of this problem, you should immediately consult a specialist.