Conditions

Overview

The left and right sides of the body have two bean-shaped organs that are called kidneys. The heart of the kidney is the nephron, which helps make the kidneys function properly. The kidneys have four important jobs to accomplish which includes: filtration, excretion, reabsorption and secretion. The right kidney is typically smaller than the left but still functions the same. There are different types of kidney disease, which can have life changing effects.

Types of Kidney Disease

There is not a specific number of kidney diseases known to man and can vary from rare to common to deadly. Some diseases such as kidney stones, are not life-threatening but kidney failure is a major blow to the body. Some of the other type of kidney disease include:

• Acute kidney failure: When people least expect it, your kidneys can fail, and your body can go into acute kidney failure. Blood clots, infection, lupus, medications, drugs and toxins are all leading causes in acute kidney failure. Healthy patients usually recover quickly from this type of failure.
• Cystic kidney disease: This form of kidney disease refers to a numerous amount of hereditary kidney diseases that can be passed down from generation to generation. One of the most common form of cystic kidney disease is polycystic. This form of kidney disease develops when there are cysts that grow near the kidney that can cause damage. These types of cysts are usually filled with fluid that causes extra pressure on the kidney.
• Chronic kidney disease: Overtime the body begins to develop unhealthy habits or grow unwanted diseases. This type of kidney disease can worsen as time passes. Some of the biggest risks that cause chronic kidney diseases include: damage from reversed flow of the urine, abnormalities of the kidney, high blood pressure, diabetes, attacks on the immune system and cysts on the kidneys. Damage to the kidneys from drug abuse, enlarged prostate or severe infection can develop into an acute kidney injury. Unfortunately, acute kidney injuries can lead to chronic kidney disease.
• Lupus nephritis: Lupus nephritis: Lupus is autoimmune disease that can affect different parts of the body including the kidneys. This form of kidney disease can cause joint swelling, muscle pain and red butterfly rashes.
• Kidney tumor/cancer: The word cancer is a horrible to hear and even worse to say. This word usually brings unkindness and pain to many people. A malignant tumor can form in the kidney(s) when the kidney cells begin to grow out of control. People who suffer from kidney (renal) cancer have a good chance to beating this disease when detected early.
• Congenital disease: Infants and children usually suffer the most from congenital nephrotic syndrome. As young as birth, kidney failure can be detected.

Diagnosis

A person’s medical history can help determine if one is at risk for developing a kidney disease. Doctors will often perform physical exams, blood tests and urine tests to ensure there are no problems with the kidney. If a doctor suspects an issue they may order further testing such as: a renal ultrasonography, renal biopsy or computerized tomography.

Treatment

When people think of a kidney disease their minds automatically think of dialysis treatment. Dialysis treated is only given to those who have lost over 80% of their kidneys function. A dialysis machine helps take over the kidneys job of filtering the blood and other kidney functions. Depending on the type of kidney disease treatments can vary such as: rest, medication, therapy, surgery and dialysis. The best way to pinpoint treatment options for a specific kidney disease is to visit a medical professional where they can diagnosis the type of kidney disease you have and its severity.

Kidney disease can affect anyone and at any age. It is important to keep your body as healthy as possible and exercise. The better you treat your body, the happier you will be.