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Types of Kidney diseases Kidneys filter fluid and waste out of our blood. Bottom line, you cannot live without them. Diseases that lower the kidney's ability to clean blood can affect not only the kidneys, but also have the potential to harm other parts of our body too. These health conditions can cause temporary damage to kidney known as Acute Kidney Injury, and if damages are permanent then it is called as chronic kidney disease or kidney failure. Timely intervention can in most occasions slow the rate of degradation. But the most important issue is to be aware of them. Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) When lasting damage to the kidneys causes them to lose their ability to filter waste and fluid out of the blood, it is called Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). This waste can build up in the body and harm your health. This damage and the kidney function can get worse over time, and when the kidneys stop working completely, this is called kidney failure or end-stage renal disease. Approximately 1 in 7 people suffer from them. To know more about the disease, click the button below. Learn More Kidney Stones Kidney stones (nephrolithiasis) are hard deposits made of minerals and salts inside the kidneys. Kidney stones can run in family and in some cases diet, excess body weight, some medical conditions, and certain supplements and medications can causes of kidney stones. Kidney stones can affect any part from kidneys to bladder. Passing kidney stones can be quite painful, but the stones usually cause no permanent damage if they're recognized in a timely fashion. Depending on situation, you may need nothing more than to take pain medication and drink lots of water to pass a kidney stone. In other instances — for example, if stones become lodged in the urinary tract, are associated with a urinary infection or cause complications — surgery may be needed. Other Kidney Diseases POLYCYSTIC KIDNEY DISEASE (PKD) LUPUS NEPHRITIS GLOMERULONEPHRITIS FABRY DISEASE CYSTINOSIS IgA NEPHROPATHY aHUS OTHER RARE DISEASES PKD is a genetic disorder that causes cysts to form on the kidneys and other organs. These cysts can lower the kidney's proficiency to filter fluid and waste from your blood. Over time, PKD can cause kidney failure. There is no cure for PKD, but treatments can slow the growth of the cysts and prevent PKD symptoms from causing health problems. Lupus nephritis is an autoimmune disease (a disease that causes the body's immune system to attack its own tissues) that leads to pain, swelling and damage to the whole body, including the kidneys. This can lead to chronic kidney disease or kidney failure. The exact cause of lupus nephritis is unknown and it cannot be cured, but with treatment many people with lupus can lower their symptoms and prevent serious kidney damage. A condition where the tiny filters in the kidneys that clean the blood (glomeruli) are damaged and lose their ability to remove waste and fluid from the blood, is called Glomerulonephritis. Over time, this can cause kidney failure. Many health problems can cause glomerulonephritis and treatment depends on the cause. Fabry disease is a rare genetic disease. It affects organs all around the body, including the heart, brain and kidneys, and can cause them to get less blood than they need. Over time, this can cause chronic kidney disease or kidney failure. Kidney damage from cystinosis can cause kidney failure. It is a rare disorder that allows a natural chemical called cystine to build up in the body and cause health problems. People with cystinosis must take medicine to lower their cystine levels and may need a kidney transplant. Cystinosis is genetic (runs in families) and is most often diagnosed in young babies. IgA nephropathy is a disease that causes proteins made by the immune system to build up in kidneys and damage the tiny filters that clean your blood (glomeruli). This damage can take years to develop, and people with IgA nephropathy often do not know they have it. Over time, IgA nephropathy can lead to chronic kidney disease, kidney failure or death. There is no cure for IgA nephropathy, but medicines can slow the damage to the kidneys. Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS) is a very rare genetic disease that causes tiny blood clots to form in the small blood vessels of the body. These clots can block the flow of blood to the kidneys and other organs and cause damage. Many people who have aHUS never have symptoms. For people who do have symptoms, they often start after a "triggering event", such as becoming pregnant or having cancer. There are many other rare diseases that can affect the Kidney functions. To keep your kidneys healthy, keep them under a check. To know more, you may consult your Nephrologist.

Cause & effect Apart from its own complications, Kidney diseases can trigger a host of other health problems. Read on to be aware of those problems and how to tackle them. Fluid Build up When the kidneys are affected, they fail to filter excess water from the blood causing fluid build up in the body. This can lead to heart and lung problems in time. If you feel such an issue, contact your doctor immediately. Gout This is the most common health problem related to kidney disease. However it can affect the kidneys the other way round too. Gout is caused by the presence of excessive uric acid in your blood due to the diminished capacity of the kidneys to filter them out. With proper care, this problem can be managed. However, over the counter pain medication is not the answer for this. Anemia As someone with kidney disease, do you ever feel tired, cold or weak? Although dialysis can cause some fatigue and feelings of weakness, these symptoms may also be due to anemia. When the kidneys fail, they fail to help the body generate enough red blood cells too causing Anemia. Secondary Hyperparathyroidism Healthy kidneys change inactive vitamin D to active vitamin D. Your body uses active vitamin D to absorb calcium from the foods you eat to keep balance between calcium and phosphorus. As the kidneys fail, they are no longer able to change inactive vitamin D to active vitamin D. This creates low levels of vitamin D in your body. When this happens, your body absorbs less calcium, and the level of calcium in your blood becomes low. This signals your parathyroid glands to make more PTH and grow larger, which causes SHPT. Your doctor may also call this "renal secondary hyperparathyroidism". Metabolic Acidosis One of the important functions of Kidney is to keep the acid balance in your body at par. When the Kidneys are affected, they fail to keep up its good work and acid builds up in the body causing Metabolic Acidosis. Hyperphosphatemia & bone disease When you have kidney disease, the kidneys cannot keep the right amount of phosphorus in your body. Phosphorus is a mineral that works with calcium and vitamin D to keep the bones healthy and strong. Due to underlying kidney disease, Phosphorus can build up to high levels in the blood and cause bone disease, which means you have weak bones that may break easily. Hyperkalemia (High Potassium) Potassium is a mineral found in many foods that helps your muscles work. When you have kidney disease, the kidneys may not be able to filter extra potassium from the blood. Potassium can build up in the blood and cause health problems. Heart disease Just like a bad marriage, Kidney and heart can both cause problem for each other. When you have kidney disease, your heart has to pump harder to get blood to the kidneys, which can cause heart disease in return. Heart disease is the most common cause of death in people who are on dialysis.

Preventing CKD You are more likely to develop CKD if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or a family history of Kidney failure. But you can protect your kidneys by managing health conditions that cause kidney damage. Read on to know what you can do and what you should not. 9 GOOD CHOICES YOU HAVE TO MAKE Make healthy food choices Stop smoking Be active. Make it a routine Aim for a healthy weight Get enough sleep Limit alcohol intake Explore stress reducing activity Ask questions Avoid pain killers Manage other diseases Make healthy food choices Choose foods that are healthy for your heart and your entire body: fresh fruits, fresh or frozen vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Eat healthy meals, and cut back on salt and added sugars. Aim for less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium each day. Try to have less than 10 percent of your daily calories come from added sugars. Tips for making healthy food choices Cook with a mix of spices instead of salt. Try baking or broiling meat, chicken, and fish instead of frying. Serve foods without gravy or added fats. Try to choose foods with little or no added sugar. Gradually work your way down from whole milk to 2 percent milk until you’re drinking and cooking with fat-free (skim) or low-fat milk and milk products. Eat foods made from whole grains—such as whole wheat, brown rice, oats, and whole-grain corn. Use whole-grain bread for toast and sandwiches; substitute brown rice for white rice for home-cooked meals and when dining out. Read food labels. Choose foods low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars. Slow down at snack time. Eating a bag of low-fat popcorn takes longer than eating a slice of cake. Peel and eat an orange instead of drinking orange juice. Try keeping a written record of what you eat for a week. It can help you see when you tend to overeat or eat foods high in fat or calories. ​ Research has shown that the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan may help you lower your blood pressure. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease, you may want to locate and work with a dietitian to create a meal plan that meets your needs. DASH eating Be active. Make it a routine. You don't have to buy a gym membership for this. You can do Yoga, walk, run, jog, swim, cycle, play some sort of sport that makes you physically active. You don't need a six pack, be active for at least 30 minutes or more on most days. If you are not active now, ask your health care provider about the types and amounts of physical activity that are right for you. Whatever it takes, just be active! Aim for a healthy weight Indians start fasting with the drop of a hat. You have to understand that only through fasting you can not achieve a healthy weight. Your body will invariably suffer from mal-nutrition. ​ To reach and stay at a healthy weight over a long period of time, you must focus on your overall health and lifestyle habits, not just on what you eat. Successful weight-loss programs should promote healthy behaviors that help you lose weight safely, that you can stick with every day, and that help you keep the weight off. ​ Safe and successful weight-loss programs should include : ​ Lifestyle modification advice promoting healthy eating and physical activity. Keeping a food and activity journal for monitoring. Information related to stress management, adequate sleep time and drawbacks of weight loss medicines. A steady plan for healthy weight loss Get enough sleep Aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. If you have trouble sleeping, take steps to improve your sleep habits. You might be sleep deficient if you often feel like you could doze off while: Sitting and reading or watching TV Sitting still in a public place, such as a movie theater, meeting, or classroom Riding in a car for an hour without stopping Sitting and talking to someone Sitting quietly after lunch Sitting in traffic for a few minutes If any of the above applies to you, talk to your doctor. Stop smoking Any amount of emphasis is less for this issue. You have to stop smoking or using tobacco products to live a healthy life. There is no alternative. If you can't quit by yourself, talk to your doctor and seek professional help. Smoking damages your entire body. It doesn't make you cool or smart but just the other way round. Limit alcohol intake Drinking too much alcohol can increase your blood pressure and add extra calories, which can lead to weight gain. If you drink alcohol, limit yourself to one drink per day if you are a woman and two drinks per day if you are a man. One drink is: 12 ounces of beer 5 ounces of wine 1.5 ounces of liquor Explore stress-reducing activities Learning how to manage stress, relax, and cope with problems can improve emotional and physical health. Physical activity can help reduce stress, as can mind and body practices such as meditation, yoga, or tai chi Manage other diseases If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease, the best way to protect your kidneys from damage is to - ​ Keep blood glucose numbers close to your goal. Checking your blood glucose, or blood sugar, level is an important way to manage your diabetes. Your health care team may want you to test your blood glucose one or more times a day. ​ Keep your blood pressure numbers close to your goal. The blood pressure goal for most people with diabetes is below 140/90 mm Hg. ​ Take all your medicines as prescribed. Talk with your health care provider about certain blood pressure medicines, called ACE inhibitors and ARBs, which may protect your kidneys. The names of these medicines end in –pril or –sartan. ​ Be careful about the daily use of over-the-counter pain medications. Regular use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen, can damage your kidneys. ​ To help prevent heart attacks and stroke, keep your cholesterol levels in the target range. There are two kinds of cholesterol in your blood: LDL and HDL. LDL or “bad” cholesterol can build up and clog your blood vessels, which can cause a heart attack or stroke. HDL or “good” cholesterol helps remove the “bad” cholesterol from your blood vessels. A cholesterol test also may measure another type of blood fat called triglycerides. Avoid Pain killers Long term use of over-the-counter pain killers may shed harmful effect on kidney tissues and structure damaging the kidneys. Pain killers can also reduce the blood flow to the kidneys. You must tell your doctor about the pain medicines that you take either regularly or occasionally. Depending upon your condition, your doctor can help you manage pain. Ask questions ​Knowledge is power, reluctance is death. The more you know about your body, mind and health conditions, the more careful and respectful you can be towards your life. Don't be afraid to ask questions to your doctor. To start with you may ask the following -​ What should I do to keep my kidneys healthy? Do I need to be taking different medicines? Should I be more physically active? What kind of physical activity can I do? What can I eat? Am I at a healthy weight? Do I need to talk with a dietitian to get help with meal planning? Should I be taking ACE inhibitors or ARBs for my kidneys? What happens if I have kidney disease?

Kidney Stones Kidney stones (also called renal calculi, nephrolithiasis or urolithiasis) are hard deposits made of minerals and salts that form inside your kidneys. Passing kidney stones can be quite painful, but the stones usually cause no permanent damage if they're recognized in a timely fashion. At a glance Causes Diet, excess body weight, some medical conditions, and certain supplements and medications are among the many causes of kidney stones. Asymptomatic stones A kidney stone usually will not cause symptoms until it moves around within the kidney or passes into one of the ureters. If a kidney stone becomes lodged in the ureters, it may block the flow of urine and cause the kidney to swell and the ureter to spasm, which can be very painful. Symptoms Severe, sharp pain in the side and back, below the ribs. Pain that radiates to the lower abdomen and groin. Pain that comes in waves and fluctuates in intensity. Pain or burning sensation while urinating. Other signs Pink, red or brown urine. Cloudy or foul-smelling urine. A persistent need to urinate, urinating more often than usual or urinating in small amounts. Nausea and vomiting. Fever and chills if an infection is present. Risk factors From family history to diet, there can be a host of risk factors that can make you vulnerable to the condition. Click here to know more When to see a doctor? Pain so severe that you can't sit still or find a comfortable position Pain accompanied by nausea and vomiting Pain accompanied by fever and chills Blood in your urine​ Difficulty passing urine RISK FACTORS Family or personal history If someone in your family has had kidney stones, you're more likely to develop stones, too. If you've already had one or more kidney stones, you're at increased risk of developing another. RISK FACTORS

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Normal blood pressure chart* * This is just a reference. Consult your doctor to know your appropriate blood pressure range. Close