A Kidney is an organ that filter waste products from the blood. It regulates blood pressure, electrolyte balance, and red blood cell production in the body.
When excess waste products and fluid are collected in the body, it may lead to abnormal heart rhythms and sudden death.
What is kidney failure?
Kidney failure is a situation where by your kidneys are unable to filter waste products from your blood.
When this happens, your kidneys lose their filtering ability, and dangerous levels of wastes may accumulate in your body, this makes your blood impure ( blood loses its chemical balance).
Symptoms OF Kidney Failure In order to determine if you have kidney failure or not. You will need to do laboratory test to ascertain. Because, most times, it has no signs or symptoms. But some key signs you need to take note of include:
1. Easily tired and loss of concentration. 2. Trouble or difficulty sleeping. 3. obesity 4. Dry and itchy skin. 5. Frequently urinating at night 6. Blood in urine.
7. Unable to urinate frequently or as supposed to leading to swelling of feet or legs.
8. Foamy urine or presence of protein in urine .
9. Persistent puffy eyes 10.Swollen feet and ankles 11. Poor appetite. 12. Cramping muscles 13. Feel cold when others are feeling warm 14. Colour of urine becomes brown, red or purple 15. chest pain 16. General weakness 17. Most times, feeling confused 18. Feel like vomiting 19. Difficulty in breathing 20. In severe situations, seizure or coma can occur.
Causes Of Kidney Failure
Kidney
1.As we age, kidney function gradually decreases over time
2.Weak immune system 3. Malnutrition, 4. Diabetes 5.The use of blood pressure medications or B.P. drugs 6. Using aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), naproxen sodium and other drugs of same nature 7. Severe dehydration 8. Too much fat or cholesterol in the blood 9. Intake of alcohol and the use of hard drugs( cocaine, etc). 10. Muscle tissue destruction
Treatment and Prevention of Kidney Failure
Kidney failure can be treated or may return kidney function to normal. Chronic kidney disease can progress to kidney failure leading to kidney loss and death. With chronic kidney failure, your kidneys can’t recover, but you can slow its progression. Don’t wait to have permanent kidney loss which can lead even to death. Here are some preventive measures:
1. Take your medicines the right way. Do not overdose or underdose. 2.Exercise or have an exercise plan 3.Reduce salt intake 4. Limit alcohol and don’t smoke 5. Drink more water or fluids 6. Watch how you take pain killers and OTC drugs 7. Check your diet and eat balanced diet.
8. Control diabetes
9.Control blood pressure 8. Consult your doctor for check up once in a while.
Paulina Atenei Anaba is a Ghanaian freelance journalist and blogger, an entrepreneur, and a french tutor at Gbewaa College of Education. She is currently writing for Ghana's vibrant entertainment blog, Zackgh.com and her personal blog, paulinaanaba.com. She holds a degree in English and French from U.C.C. A Masters degree in French (Linguistics) from the University of Ouagadougou. she is a team player and can work under any circumstance.Contact her on 0549614358 @zackgh.com and Paulinaanaba.com to publish articles in your community and also to help promote and upload songs as well on our page. For your translations from French to English and vice versa, contact her.