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| Question: |
What are the signs and symptoms of kidney disorder? |
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| Answer: |
The main symptom of kidney disorder is fluid retention or edema. Patients may have puffiness around the eyes, swelling in the feet and legs and water in the lungs leading to difficulty of breathing
Any change in urination may also indicate kidney problem. This may consist of pain or unusual sensation during voiding, increased or decreased frequency of urination, difficulty in initiating urination, frequent urination at night, change in color of urine, blood in the urine or bubbly appearance of the urine.
Kidney failure results in the retention of various body wastes which cause anorexia, vomiting, difficulty in sleeping and generalized body weakness. This is often evaluated by measuring serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen.
The presence of protein and red blood cells in the urine is also an indication of kidney disorder. In glomerulonephritis, proteinuria and hematuria are commonly seen because the glomeruli have become inflamed. Proteinuria is also the earliest manifestation of diabetic nephropathy. Pallor and weakness are also among the indications of kidney failure due to anemia secondary to low erythropoietin production by the failing kidneys.
Hypertension is also a major consequence of kidney disorder. Initial evaluation of all newly diagnosed hypertensive patients should include serum creatinine and electrolyte levels (sodium and potassium) particularly among young hypertensive subgroup.
Repeated urinary tract infections, back pain or pain in the lower abdomen may indicate the presence of kidney stones and may also cause blood in the urine. |
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| Question: |
What diseases commonly affect the kidneys? |
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| Answer: |
Infection is the most common disorder of the kidneys and the urinary tract. Uncomplicated urinary tract infections are very easy to treat
Stones are solid residues in the urinary tract that may cause obstruction to the flow of urine which in turn may lead to infection of the kidneys and subsequent scarring.
Glomerulonephritis is inflammation of the glomeruli, the small vessels in the nephron. If not treated, patients may suffer slow progressive damage to the kidneys and develop renal failure.
Hypertension occurs with many cases of kidney diseases. Prolonged hypertension damages the small arteries in the kidneys. This may start a vicious cycle: damaged kidneys cause more serious hypertension which in turn brings more damage to the kidneys.
Diabetes may also damage the kidneys. It is the leading cause of chronic renal failure in many countries.
Abnormalities in the urinary tract that are congenital or inborn may consequently lead to poor function, obstruction or infection of the kidneys.
Some drugs, herbal medicine, solvents and insectides can also harm the kidneys.
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| Question: |
What are the warning signs of kidney disease? |
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| Answer: |
Puffiness of the eye area
Progressive swelling of parts of the body usually at the ankles
Back pain on the lower part just below the ribcage
Changes in urination (increased or decreased frequency of urination, frequent urination at night, pain or unusually sensation during voiding, hesitancy or difficulty in initiating urination, change in color of the urine, blood in the urine)
New onset of high blood pressure |
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| Question: |
What are the symptoms of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)? |
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Not everyone with UTI has symptoms, but most people get at least some. These may include a frequent urge to urinate and a painful, burning feeling in the area of the bladder or urethra during urination. It is not unusual to feel bad and to feel pain even when not urinating. Often women feel an uncomfortable pressure above the pubic bone and some men experience fullness in the rectum. It is common for a person with UTI to complain that despite the urge to urinate, only a small amount of urine is passed.
The urine itself may look milky or cloudy, even reddish if blood is present. A fever may mean that the infection has reached the kidneys. Other symptoms of a kidney infection include pain in the back or side below the ribs, nausea or vomiting. |
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| Question: |
How can UTI be prevented? |
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There is no proven way to prevent UTI, but the following suggestions maybe helpful:
- Drink plenty of liquids about 6-8 glasses/day to flush bacteria out of the urinary system,
- Schedule frequent bathroom breaks
- Women should drink water before and after sex so they will urinate a good volume with a steady stream afterward. This will help eliminate any bacteria that may have entered the urinary bladder.
- After defecating, women should not wipe in the direction of the vagina to avoid spreading bacteria from the gastrointestinal tract
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| Question: |
How should patients with hypertension be treated? |
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Treatment of hypertension can be achieved through non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic means. It consists of the following:
- Lifestyle modification
- Weight loss
- Exercise
- Low salt, low fat diet
- Stop smoking
- Less alcohol consumption
- Cope with stress
- Regular intake of antihypertensive medications
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| Question: |
How are kidney stones prevented from developing? |
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The simplest and most important lifestyle change to prevent all kinds of kidney stones from developing is to drink more liquids. Water is the best. It is recommended that water intake should be at least 2 liters per day. There are many proponents of various “cures” by drinking other liquids such as buko juice, pito-pito tea, sambong tea and many other teas but scientific studies have not proven their efficacy and safety. |
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