Chronic Kidney Disease Treatment

What is chronic kidney disease (CKD)?

Chronic kidney disease includes conditions that damage your kidneys and decrease their ability to keep you healthy. Your kidneys serve a vital function of removing wastes and excess water from your urine.  As they become damaged, these wastes can build to high levels in your blood and make you feel sick.  

You may develop complications like high blood pressure, anemia (low blood count), weak bones, poor nutritional health, and nerve damage. Also, kidney disease increases your risk of having heart and blood vessel disease. 

These problems may happen slowly over a long period of time.  

If you’re dealing with chronic kidney disease in the Springfield, Ohio area, you should contact a kidney specialist immediately. Early detection and treatment can often keep chronic kidney disease from getting worse. When kidney disease progresses, it may eventually lead to kidney failure, which requires dialysis or a kidney transplant to maintain life. 

What Causes CKD? 

Diabetes and high blood pressure are responsible for up to two-thirds of chronic kidney disease cases. Diabetes happens when your blood sugar is too high, causing damage to many organs in your body, including the kidneys and heart, as well as blood vessels, nerves, and eyes. High blood pressure (hypertension) occurs when the pressure of your blood against the walls of your blood vessels increases.  

If uncontrolled, or poorly controlled, high blood pressure can be a leading cause of heart attacks, strokes, and chronic kidney disease. Also, chronic kidney disease can cause high blood pressure. 

What are the Symptoms of CKD? 

Most people may not have any severe symptoms until their kidney disease is advanced. However, you may notice that you: 

• feel more tired and have less energy 
• have trouble concentrating 
• have a poor appetite 
• have trouble sleeping 
• have muscle cramping at night 
• have swollen feet and ankles 
• have puffiness around your eyes, especially in the morning 
• have dry, itchy skin 
• need to urinate more often, especially at night. 

Anyone can get chronic kidney disease in Springfield, Ohio at any age. However, some people are more likely than others to develop kidney disease. You may have an increased risk for kidney disease if you: 

• have diabetes 
• have high blood pressure 
• have a family history of kidney failure 
• are older 
• belong to a population group that has a high rate of diabetes or high blood pressure, such as African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian, Pacific Islanders, and American Indians. 

Other Conditions that Affect the Kidneys 

While chronic kidney disease is the most common kidney disease in Springfield, Ohio, other conditions may be affecting your kidney functions. 

Glomerulonephritis is a group of diseases that cause inflammation and damage to the kidney’s filtering units. These disorders are the third most common type of kidney disease. 

Inherited diseases, such as polycystic kidney disease, cause large cysts to form in the kidneys and damage the surrounding tissue. 

Malformations can occur as a baby develops in its mother’s womb. For example, a narrowing may occur that prevents normal outflow of urine and causes urine to flow back up to the kidney. This causes infections and may damage the kidneys. 

Lupus and other diseases that affect the body’s immune system can harm your kidneys, along with obstructions caused by problems like kidney stones, tumors, or an enlarged prostate gland in men. 

Experienced Kidney Specialists in Springfield, Ohio 

With over 50 years of combined experience, our kidney doctors at Advanced Nephrology & Hypertension have the knowledge and skills to effectively treat your kidney conditions. 

If you have been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in Springfield Ohio, stop in to see the kidney specialists at Advanced Nephrology and Hypertension to work on a course of action.