Nephrology - Kidney Treatment & Support

As the blood vessels in the kidney become inflamed, blood is inefficiently filtered. It may occur on its own or secondary to other diseases such as infections, lupus, and diabetes. If left untreated, glomerulonephritis can result in complete kidney damage.

The most common symptoms are:

• Blood in the urine (haematuria)
• Foamy urine
• Decreased urine output
• Swelling of hands, face, and feet due to fluid retention
• Nausea/vomiting
• Muscle cramps
• Fatigue

This condition may be associated with kidney disease.

Depending on the type, symptoms can include fluid retention, swelling, pain in the face and limbs, dehydration, thirst, weakness, and light-headedness.

For example, changes in natural potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sodium levels may impact muscle strength, heart rhythm and other body functions.

Similarly, fluid and electrolyte imbalance could show up as oedema, causing swelling and pain in arms, legs, feet, and hands. On the other hand, symptoms of dehydration include weakness, excessive thirst, light-headedness, fainting, and dark-coloured and foul-smelling urine.

Acute kidney injury is a sudden and temporary loss of kidney function. It can be a minor loss of kidney function or kidney failure.

Symptoms include:

• Reduction in urine production
• Swelling in the legs, ankles, or feet
• Fatigue
• Breathlessness
• Confusion
• Nausea
• Dehydration
• Drowsiness

AKI can be fatal if not urgently treated. In the absence of prompt treatment, it can affect other organs.

End-stage kidney disease is also known as end-stage renal disease (ESRD). It is the last stage of chronic kidney disease when your kidneys can no longer support your body’s needs.

Symptoms for this condition may vary. However, the most common ones include the following:

• Fatigue and shortness of breath
• Nausea
• Unbearable itching
• Poor appetite
• Abnormally light or dark skin
• Bad breath
• Excessive thirst
• Weigh loss
• Persistent headaches
• Difficulty sleeping
• Confusion and lack of alertness
• Muscle cramps
• Easy bruising
• Amenorrhea

Find out more about the five stages of kidney failure which can be determined through specific tests. The treatment methodology will depend on the patient’s stage of kidney failure.

Proteinuria is high levels of protein in your urine. Proteins are filtered by glomeruli (tiny loops of capillaries) in the kidneys. However, when the glomeruli are damaged, there is no reabsorption of proteins, and the excess flows into the urine.

This condition is often seen in those with diabetes and high blood pressure.

Symptoms include:

• Foamy urine
• Puffiness and/or swelling of the face and/or limbs
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Muscle cramps
• Frequent urge to urinate
• Nausea

Renal cell cancer (also known as kidney cancer or renal cell adenocarcinoma) is a disease characterised by the presence of cancerous cells in the tubule lining of the kidney.

The early stages may be asymptomatic. However, symptoms appear as the tumour grows. The symptoms include:

• Blood in the urine
• Noticeable lump in the kidney area or abdomen
• Weight loss
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Anaemia
• Pain in the side of the abdomen

Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) is a genetic disease that causes the growth of cysts in the kidneys. Cysts caused by PKD can alter the shape of your kidneys, including making them significantly larger.

PKD is a type of chronic kidney disease (CKD) that diminishes kidney function and may result in renal failure.

Symptoms include:

• Pain in the abdomen, back or flank
• Urinary tract infections
• Blood in the urine
• Increased abdomen s

Some medications may help treat any underlying causes, such as diabetes or hypertension, thus helping to relieve your symptoms and slow disease progression.

These include medicines in the categories of Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE) inhibitors, Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), and diabetic medications.

Your doctor may also prescribe certain medicines to help your body to produce erythropoietin (a chemical required to make red blood cells).

Typically recommended when chronic kidney disease has reached an advanced stage, a machine will be used to replicate the functions of the kidney.

A complete kidney transplant may be the most suitable option for patients with advanced kidney disease. However, this treatment needs to consider various factors like the availability of a donor kidney, general health, patient age and finances.

A successful transplant indicates that the patient will not require to be on dialysis support in future. However, certain medications may be needed to be taken even after the transplant.