Know if your kidneys are functioning properly

Team Udayavani, Apr 18, 2021, 12:31 PM IST

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Kidneys play an important role in overall health as healthy kidneys make urine, remove waste and extra fluid from the blood, control the body’s chemical balance, regulate blood pressure and help maintain healthy bones and produce red blood cells.

What most people are unaware of is that Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects 10% of the population worldwide. It can cause cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke, high blood pressure, weak bones, nerve damage, kidney failure, and even death.

A person with CKD may lose up to 90% of their kidney function before they experience any symptoms, which is the reason why CKD is known to be a silent killer as the disease often goes undetected until it is advanced.

Diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and a family history of kidney disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure are the main causes of CKD.

In the earlier stages of CKD, there are no symptoms. In the advanced stage, there may some warning signs such as fatigue or weakness, difficult or painful urination, foamy urine, pink or dark urine with blood in it, increased thirst, puffy eyes, swollen face, etc.

It is important to get tested if you are at risk of developing chronic kidney disease.

If you get diagnosed with CKD, extra precautions must be taken, such as lowering the blood pressure if it is high, maintaining proper blood sugar levels, and avoiding the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as prolonged use of these can lead to kidney damage.