Definition of kidney disease
Kidney disease means the inability of an organ, in this case the kidney, to perform its normal functions. This alteration can occur suddenly (acute renal failure) or in a slow and gradual onset (chronic kidney disease, CKD).In the latter case, the progressive loss of renal function is usually due to severe forms of hypertension and diabetes, inadequately controlled by medical therapy.
Prostatic hypertrophy, kidney stones, vesicoureteral reflux or large tumors, are conditions that - hindering the normal flow of urine - increase pressure within the kidneys reducing effectiveness. Kidney damage can also be caused by inflammatory processes (pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis) or by the formation of cysts in the kidney (polycystic kidney disease).
Even the chronic use of certain medications or alcohol and drugs at high doses may concur to symptoms of kidney disease, while acute poisoning of the same can cause an acute renal failure.
The latter is often the complication of one or other serious disorders, which at first may be erroneously considered to be causing the symptoms of kidney disease.
Most common symptoms of kidney disease
- anemia
- anuria
- anorexia
- asthenia
- muscle cramps
- edema
- aching legs
- swollen ankles
- swollen legs
- tired legs
- heavy legs
- dysuria
- backacheh
- headache
- hypertension
- nausea
- weight loss
- oliguria
- proteinuria
- water retention
- dark urineb
- blood in the excrement
- itching
- blood in the urine
- vomiting
Difference between chronic kidney disease symptoms and acute kidney disease symptoms
In case of chronic kidney disease, kidney disease symptoms pass almost unnoticed in its early stages. Only when the renal function is considerably diminished, the first symptoms are visible, that will increase in severity as they rise up the levels of various substances in the blood, including waste, and blood pH.In the worst cases, chronic kidney disease requires a transplant or kidney dialysis.
The problem of chronic forms is linked to non-specific symptoms, that could lead to wrong diagnosis and do often hide more severe and in some cases irreversible loss of function.
