What is kidney failure, and why does it occur? Know its Causes, symptoms, treatment

Dr.Vikas Agarwal, 3 mins read

The kidneys are a pair of organs that filter out toxins and extra water from your blood. They are located in the lower back, with one kidney on either side of your spine. Toxins are passed through the bladder and eventually removed through urination. In case either or both kidneys begin to lose the ability to filter out waste from the blood; kidney damage begins to occur. It is important to be aware of kidney damage symptoms as early intervention is the best way to prevent kidney failure. This article will help you recognize the first early kidney problems, what causes kidney failure, and how to prevent kidney failure.

Many factors can disrupt kidney function or cause damage, exposure to toxic environmental pollutants, certain medications, acute and chronic diseases, the inadequate flow of blood into the kidneys, along with severe dehydration and trauma. When the kidneys can’t perform their functions properly, toxins overload the body; which may cause multiorgan failure. If left untreated, kidney failure can become life-threatening.

Acute kidney failure happens when the kidneys stop working all of a sudden while chronic kidney failure will occur over some time. Do you know there are five types of kidney failure?

Acute prerenal kidney failure occurs when there is insufficient blood flow to the kidneys and this can be treated and cured once the reason behind the decreased blood flow is discovered. Acute intrinsic kidney failure can occur as a result of trauma to the kidneys through physical impact or by accident, toxin overload, and ischemia (lack of oxygen to the kidneys). Chronic prerenal kidney failure is caused by low blood flow into the kidneys for a period, which reduces their size and causes loss of function. Chronic intrinsic kidney failure happens when the kidneys suffer long-term damage due to intrinsic kidney disease, which develops as a result of direct trauma or a lack of oxygen. Chronic post-renal kidney failure is caused by blockages in the urinary tract that prevent urination, which creates a lot of pressure and eventually causes kidney damage.

Symptoms of kidney damage and failure

Early-stage kidney damage symptoms aren’t noticeable and almost 90 percent of people who have chronic kidney disease don’t know they have it. However, as the disease progresses, symptoms like a reduced amount of urine, shortness of breath, swelling in the legs, feet, and ankles, nausea, seizures, confusion, fatigue, drowsiness, chest pains or even going into a coma.

What is the first sign of kidney problems?

There is no particular sign and the first signs of early-stage kidney disease may prove to be difficult to notice as they are usually subtle. When patients experience early signs of kidney disease, they may complain of reduced urination, shortness of breath, and swelling in the limbs caused by fluid retention.

What color is your urine when your kidneys are failing?

An individual can gauge their body’s health by assessing the color of their urine, and while it may not tell you the exact state of your kidney function, changes in urine color can indicate some issues.

If you’re passing clear or pale yellow urine, it means you are hydrated and in good health while a dark yellow tinge points towards dehydration. Orange can be a sign of dehydration and bile in the bloodstream.

If there’s a pink or red tinge present; it could be indicative of blood in the urine or it could be caused by foods like beetroot or strawberries; a urine test can help clarify this. You may have kidney disease if you pass foamy urine with excessive bubbles in it: a sign of too much protein in it.

What causes kidney failure?

Kidney failure occurs as a result of many conditions and causes, or a combination of both but the two most common causes are diabetes and high blood pressure, and people who have either or both are at risk of kidney damage. Other causes include:

Urinary issues

When urine isn’t eliminated, toxins build up in the body and overload the kidneys. Prostate, colon, cervical, and bladder cancer can also block the urinary tract.

Other conditions like kidney stones, blood clots, and an enlarged prostate can also interfere with urination and potentially cause kidney failure.

Lack of blood flowing into the kidneys

A sudden loss of blood flow into the kidneys can trigger kidney failure and heart disease, heart attacks, scarring of the liver, liver failure, dehydration, allergies, infection and severe burns can cut blood supply to the kidneys.

Some other causes of kidney failure include drug and alcohol abuse, blood clots around the kidneys, infection, lupus, heavy metal poisoning, multiple myeloma, vasculitis, chemotherapy drugs, glomerulonephritis, hemolytic-uremic syndrome, and certain antibiotics.

Diagnosis

Many tests are available for diagnosing kidney failure. A urine analysis is done for detecting
atypical protein or sugar that is present in your urine. A urinary sediment test will look for red and white blood cells, bacteria, and particles called cellular casts.

Urine volume measurements are the simplest tests to diagnose kidney failure, suggestive of a urinary blockage.

Blood tests are done to measure substances that are filtered by the kidneys, like nitrogen, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine.

Ultrasounds, CT scans, and MRIs can provide images of the kidneys and urinary tract to look out for blockages or other issues.

A kidney tissue sample may be taken to look for unusual deposits, scarring, or infections.

Kidney disease is classified into five stages; from very mild (stage 1) to complete kidney failure (stage 5). Symptoms, complications, and treatment depend on them.

However, you can start taking care of your kidneys today and avoid kidney damage.

How to prevent kidney failure?

You can lower your risk of kidney failure by sticking to a healthy lifestyle such as following a balanced diet, keeping conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure under control, and following your doctor’s advice.
If you have any concerns regarding your kidney health, feel free to reach out to us.

Also, Read: Chronic Kidney Disease Failure