End-stage Renal Disease
End-stage renal disease, or kidney failure, occurs when your kidneys fail to function and can no longer filter the blood normally. As a result, you might need a kidney transplant or dialysis from a kidney specialist in Navi Mumbai. Your kidneys are responsible for excreting the waste and fluid from your blood through urine. When they stop functioning, these waste particles and excess fluid build up in your blood.
The fifth stage of kidney disease is life-threatening and can result in loss of life if not addressed immediately. In addition to filtering blood, your kidneys are responsible for striking a perfect balance between salt, minerals, and water in your body. They create urine so that excess waste can be excreted.
Causes of End-Stage Renal Disease
Kidney disease can occur due to a number of health conditions, a sedentary lifestyle, and a poor diet. It can damage your kidneys at once or cause slow damage, which eventually develops into chronic kidney disease.
Here are the common causes of end-stage renal disease:
- Birth defects
- A history of severe urinary tract infections that occurred repeatedly
- Heart disease or hypertension
- Polycystic kidney disease
- Lupus and other autoimmune diseases
- Kidney stones
- Diabetes
Sometimes, chronic kidney diseases, like cancer, can cause kidney failure. Whatever the cause is, it’s important to see a urologist in Navi Mumbai immediately if you notice any or all of the below symptoms.
Symptoms of End-Stage Renal Disease
Unfortunately, kidney diseases don’t produce any serious symptoms initially. As the condition progresses and your kidney fails, you might notice the below symptoms.
- Excess fatigue and weakness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Swollen ankles and feet
- Muscle cramps
- Itching
- Loss of appetite
- Unusual changes in urination
- High blood pressure
- Difficulty in concentration
- Chest pain and shortness of breath due to fluid buildup
Contact a urologist immediately if you notice these symptoms. These are often the signs that your kidney has stopped functioning, and you might need immediate treatment. However, these symptoms can also indicate other health problems, which aren’t as serious as end-stage renal disease. It’s best to consult a healthcare provider for a comprehensive diagnosis.
Treatment for End-Stage Renal Disease
A kidney transplant is a permanent solution to end-stage renal disease. In transplant surgery, the surgeon will replace the damaged kidney with the kidney of a living person or a deceased.
Everyone has two kidneys, and it’s totally possible to live with one. Before the transplant, the surgeon will conduct a few tests to ensure the donor’s kidney is a good match for you. After the transplant, you may have to take immune-suppressant medications to prevent your immune system from rejecting the new kidney, assuming it is a foreign object. Once the transplant is done successfully, your new kidney will start functioning like normal.
If you are considering dialysis, know that you will have to take dialysis treatment till the transplant surgery. Visit a dialysis center in Navi Mumbai to discuss the dialysis procedure, how frequently you need that, and which dialysis is best for your condition.