Life threatening diseases scare us. Sometimes, they scare us into believing that if we don’t think/worry about them, they won’t happen. That’s not a good idea with kidney disease.
Your kidneys are your body’s filtration system. Think about it a little like a coffee filter. The water going through the filter is changed by it and what’s in it. If you poke large holes in the filter, what comes out of it may not be drinkable. There would be far too many coffee grounds in the coffee. That’s what happens when your kidneys begin to fail.
Part of the problem is that kidney disease is largely silent. There are no symptoms until about Stage Four, and unless you are being checked for it on a regular basis, you may not know about it until then.
One of the most often heard comments upon being told that kidney disease is present is, “But I can still pee!” That has nothing to do with the problem. The problem is when the waste products aren’t being filtered out at the same time as the liquid.
One of the first signs of potential kidney disease is gout. That does not mean that you have kidney disease, just that it is possible. Gout is caused by an excessive amount of uric acid in the bloodstream. The acid forms crystals that are dropped off into joints.
Many people get gout because of their diet; they eat too much protein or the wrong types and the kidneys are overwhelmed. However, if your kidneys aren’t functioning properly, you may also experience gout. That’s because the kidneys haven’t got the capability of removing the acid from your blood.
If nothing is done, a condition known as uremic poisoning can occur. This is not just a painful condition, it is ugly. The face, hands and feet swell. The person may no longer be recognizable because of the swelling. It hurts to move. Death is around the corner.
There are things that can be done if kidney disease is caught soon enough. Medications and a change in diet can slow the progression of the disease. When the kidneys cease to function, dialysis can remove the uric acid from the blood stream. However, you have to know about it before you can take care of it.
If you are at risk for kidney disease, make sure your doctor knows. Blood tests can check for elevated amounts of uric acid in the blood stream and your overall filtration rate. Should something come up, early treatment can mean a better quality…and quantity…of life.