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The human kidney – the organ responsible for maintaining fluid balance, regulating blood minerals and filtering minerals/waste from food, medications, and toxins – are two bean-shaped organs located in the renal system. They are the major organ involved in passing waste as urine and blood cleansing.
The Guardian Newspaper recorded that out of about 180 million people in Nigeria, a whopping 13.9% (i.e. 25 million) live with kidney failure, having to seek transplants and undergo dialysis, and the majority of the affected are the working age population. This statistic is quite alarming and requires urgent attention to be paid to kidney disease prevention and its treatment.
Some major symptoms of kidney disease include;
- Urine pattern changes
- Difficult hypertension
- Ankle or feet swelling
- Fatigue and weakness
- Muscle twitches and cramps
- Vomiting
- Shortness of breath
However, a non-specific nature around the signs and symptoms exist, meaning they can also be triggered by other illnesses. Your kidney may not show any signs of damage due to its highly adaptable nature until irreversible damage occurs.
Chronic failure of the kidneys can affect almost every part of the body including the reproductive organs, bones, immune system, heart and blood vessels. The kidneys are delicate organs and a defect in their functioning can be triggered by some factors, which include;
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Family history
- Old age, etc.
In order to minimize the risk of developing kidney disease, it is important to follow prescriptions on over-the-counter medications, avoid smoking, manage body weight and consult with a doctor to control predisposing conditions.
For individuals that are experiencing symptoms or signs of kidney disease, kindly make an appointment with your doctor, your doctor is most likely to monitor your blood pressure and kidney function with urine and blood tests during these visit, before diagnosing.
