WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT KIDNEY FAILURE

A 13 year old boy is in serious pain. His legs are swollen, he feels hot and cold intermittently. Food no longer gives him pleasure. He no longer enjoys the cool embrace of the night sleep. His parents have exhausted all their savings in the quest to getting a cure for their child’s ailment. They have tried many interventions from charlatans who promised them heaven and earth. Now they are crying for help. Their child is dying. Without help he would die. What is wrong with their child? He has kidney failure.

 The boy described above is not the only one suffering from kidney failure, there are several others having the same problem. Every week, some people spend over N 150,000(about USD420) to buy drugs and pay hospital bills. Its clearly evident that kidney failure is a disturbing problem round the globe. What can be done to detect this problem early? What can you do to manage the condition if you are having kidney problem? In this article we will answer these questions but, let’s first talk about this important organ –kidney.

THE KIDNEY

Our kidneys are bean-shaped organs located in our abdomen. They are responsible for a host of things ranging from excretion of waste products to regulation of some bodily functions and processes. Their functioning properly is highly essential for life.

Kidney failure, acute (i.e. of sudden occurence), or chronic (of a more prolonged course and duration) is a condition increasingly becoming more prevalent. The kidneys are said to fail when they can no longer performs their functions has been so impaired that they can no longer support health and vitality. It is of grave importance that the populace be enlightened on the possible causes of this condition and things that can be done to prevent it.

SYMPTOMS OF KIDNEY FAILURE

Some of the symptoms of kidney problem are:

• ·         Swelling of the legs, ankles, feet, face and/ hands.
• ·         Weight loss.
• ·         Frequent Urination at night.
• ·         Foamy or bubbly urine.
• ·         More frequent urination, or in greater amounts than usual, with pale urine.
• ·         Less frequent urination, or in smaller amount than usual, with dark coloured urine.
• ·         Blood in the urine.
• ·         Difficulty urinating.
• ·         Vomiting and/ diarrhea, which may lead to dehydration.
• ·         Body itching.
• ·         Abnormal heart rhythms.
• ·         Shortness of breath due to extra fluid on the lungs.
• ·         Anemia.
• ·         Feeling tired and/ weak.
• ·         Memory problems.
• ·         Difficulty concentrating.
• ·         Dizziness.
• ·         Low blood pressure.
• ·         Appetite loss, a bad taste in the mouth.
• ·         Difficulty sleeping.
• ·         Darkening of the skin.

NOTE: If you are having some of the above listed symptoms, do not quickly conclude that you are having kidney problem, consult your doctor for medical check up instead.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

You can do the following:

Go for regular check-ups: This is an important element of maintaining health. Early detection of kidney abnormal functioning may be corrected and thus save you from kidney failure.

Watch your weight: you are designed by God for an optimal body weight. By maintaining an optimal weight profile through physical activities and watching what you eat, you can reduce your chances of becoming hypertensive or diabetic. Doing so reduces your chances of having renal failure.

Don’t misuse drugs: Drug abuse and misuse are common. Avoid using medications that have not been prescribed by your physician. Consult your doctor before starting any medication. Be careful with the kind of herbs you take because concoctions may be very dangerous for your kidney.

What if you are having just one kidney, how can you manage it? you might want to read Living With One Kidney.