The kidneys are one of the vital organs that performs the functions of cleaning our body. They do tremendous work, process more than 180 liters of filtrate daily, separating the harmful substances contained in it. In this case, from 1 to 1.5 liters of urine is formed in the kidneys, which is excreted from our body using the urinary system. But the kidneys are not only a filtration device, but also regulators of various processes and mechanisms of our body, ensuring their smooth functioning. Along with the cleaning function, the kidneys regulate blood pressure, acid-base and water-salt balance, and also stimulate the formation of red blood cells. Kidney problems, the symptoms characteristic of a serious illness, may not be detected for a long time, but at the same time they worsen or destroy the natural filter and regulation system, which poses a threat to human life.
The most common kidney diseases are pyelonephritis, renal failure, hydronephrosis, urolithiasis. You need to know how to recognize diseased kidneys in time: the symptoms of the disease most often manifest in the form of edema (under the eyes, legs, abdominal cavity), pain in the lower back, high blood pressure, and a decrease in the amount of urine released.
It must be remembered that there is a problem with the kidneys (symptoms depend on forms and stages of the disease, and concomitant diseases) is quite serious and you should immediately consult a doctor if you identify painful symptoms.
In most cases, chronic kidney diseases are painless and are detected by chance on the basis of studies conducted on other complaints of the patient, for example, due to high blood pressure. They are also characterized by swelling of the legs, circulatory disorders.
In acute inflammation of the kidney, the symptoms of the disease are usually as follows: pain in the region of the kidneys, shortness of breath (suffocation), hypertensive crisis, swelling of the eyelids, and fluid in the lungs. It is necessary to stop the disease at an early stage, without waiting for the development of complications. The first thing that sick kidneys (symptoms of the disease) manifest themselves is fatigue, headaches, nausea, vomiting, fever. Therefore, when such complaints appear, you must seek medical advice.
The causes of kidney disease are diverse. Most often, this is a consequence of insufficient blood supply to the kidneys, which can be caused by severe blood loss, for example, after a severe accident or a sudden drop in blood pressure (as in shock). A common cause is also previous infectious diseases. Thus, in a number of patients, when diagnosing a kidney disease in the history of the disease, cases of acute streptococcal infection, for example, acute tonsillitis, were recorded for 4-5 weeks. In addition, kidney disease can be the result of side effects of medications (antibiotics) with prolonged use in high doses.
In most cases, chronic renal failure is the result of prolonged diabetes mellitus or high blood pressure. More rare are the reasons why the kidneys hurt (the symptoms of the disease are serious, so the patient needs an immediate consultation with a specialist) - these are kidney stones, kidney cysts, and inflammatory processes of the urinary system.
The most common methods for diagnosing kidney disease are laboratory tests of urine and blood. Ultrasound examination allows you to establish enlarged kidney sizes, their pathological changes. Beginning pulmonary edema, as one of the symptoms of kidney disease, can be established by listening to the chest or by x-ray.
Treatment for kidney disease is prescribed depending on the type of disease and its causes. This can be a drug treatment aimed at suppressing the infection that caused the disease, or at removing excess fluid in the body and lowering the pressure. In case of renal colic or urolithiasis in mild cases, painkillers are used, in complicated cases - surgical intervention to remove kidney stone. In the most severe cases, with kidney failure, a regular kidney dialysis procedure is necessary.
Even the ancient Chinese wise men claimed that the kidneys are a source of health, therefore, if symptoms of kidney disease occur, an urgent medical consultation is necessary, a detailed examination, and in case of detection of a disease, timely and targeted treatment.