The Who, What and Why

When the kidneys are damaged, they can’t do their most important work – filtering wastes and excess water from the blood. The waste and water are eliminated from the body in urine.

If the kidneys can’t filter blood efficiently, waste collects in the bloodstream, where it travels to the rest of the body. The buildup in the blood is usually slow and silent, giving no warning signs.

Kidney 101

It is important to understand what kidneys are and how they work. The kidneys – there are two of them, - are bean-shaped organs, each 4 – 5 inches long. They are located in the middle of the body toward the back, just below the rib cage, on either side of the spine.

• Waste filters – Each kidney has about a million tiny filtering units that remove waste products and extra water from the blood. The waste and water are passed out of the body in the urine. Our kidneys filter, on average about 200 quarts of blood each day.
  
  The kidneys also make sure that there is a proper balance of key chemicals in the blood. Healthy kidneys sense when there is too much of one of these chemicals and eliminates the excess in the urine. If the kidneys are damaged, the balance of chemicals in the blood may be thrown off.

Do you need to be tested?

Doctors say you should be treated for kidney disease if you:

• Have diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family history of kidney problems;
• Are older than 60;
• Regularly take certain painkillers that damage the kidneys;
• Have an autoimmune disease (especially Lupus), a condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks body cells).

Others at risk

People who have any kind of kidney injury also may be at a higher-than-average risk for kidney disease. The injury may have been due to kidney stones, a body-wide infection, or a history of urinary tract infections or obstruction.

Symptoms Checklist

In the beginning stages, kidney disease is “silent” – it doesn’t cause symptoms. Changes to watch for are:

• Changes in urination – you find that you have to urinate more often, particularly at night. On the other hand, you may have to go less often.
• Swelling – when the kidneys are unable to remove excess fluids, it builds up in body tissues. You may notice swelling in the legs, ankles, and feet. Or puffiness around the eyes.
• Fatigue and weakness – when the kidney’s start to fail and are less able to stimulate the production of red blood cells, you will begin to feel tired and weak.
• Trouble concentrating and more – if your brain isn’t getting enough oxygen due to fewer red blood cells, you may feel dizzy, drowsy, or unable to concentrate. You may have trouble remembering things or not think clearly.
• Dry, itchy skin – when the kidney is less effective in filtering the blood, the buildup of waste can cause dry, itchy skin.
• Poor appetite – extra waste products in the blood can cause nausea, vomiting, or a bad taste in the mouth. As a result, you may not feel like eating and so lose weight.
• Muscle cramping – waste buildup may damage nerves and muscles, producing muscle weakness, cramping, twitching, a “pin and needle” sensation, or pain.
• Shortness of breath – kidney damage may lead to the blood’s becoming acidic, which causes shortness of breath.

If any of the symptoms are noted a physician should be notified.