Understanding Kidney Disease

KIDNEY FAILURE - A kidney failure is a medical condition that occurs when your kidneys fail to perform their vital functions in the body. This causes an accumulation of waste in the blood that eventually causes organ failure and death if not treated. There are generally two types of kidney failures--acute and chronic.

Chronic kidney disease is one in which there are no symptoms, signs, or treatment options available for the illness because it's long-term, although many still have it without knowing because their symptoms are kept under control with medications. The other type is acute which means you were diagnosed within 48 hours after its onset.

Kidney failure is a serious condition that needs to be treated immediately. Through this article, we'll find out the body's chief function of kidneys, the signs, and symptoms of kidney failure, what can cause the kidneys to fail, and the treatments for it.

What is a

Kidney?

The kidneys are two small, bean-shaped organs that are located on either side of the spine in the middle back. They are responsible for maintaining homeostasis or normal balance in the body, production of red blood cells, removal of excess fluid from the body, regulation of electrolytes in the body, and regulation of blood pressure. They perform over 300 functions per day.

Elimination of certain waste products from the blood is one vital function they perform in order to keep us healthy. They remove extra water and waste products from urine or liquid waste produced by our bodies which are flushed out through urination. The waste products are expelled through the urinary system.

What causes kidney failure?

Kidney failure may occur because of a number of factors with the most common being: high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol levels, high alcohol consumption, or toxins from drugs or chemicals in the body. In some people, kidney problems develop as a result of diet and lifestyle habits such as over-exercising. Some diseases that can lead to kidney failure include: Chronic Kidney Disease, Maintaining good hydration by drinking plenty of water, and avoiding too much sugar and salt in your diet is essential to maintaining healthy blood pressure for those who have it.