What is KIDNEY DISEASE?

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Kidney disease is any condition that affects the proper functioning of the kidneys. This could range from mild kidney infection to life threatening conditions. Occasionally, one or both kidneys may cease to function properly as a result of factors external to the body, such as severe shock caused by trauma. Whenever the kidneys are affected by diseases, normal kidney function becomes impaired. In other words they are not able to do their job as well as they should. The decline in kidney function is described as kidney failure.

Diseases which causes a decline in kidney function over an extended period of time (3 or more months), is described as chronic. There are five (5) stages of chronic kidney diseases. Stage 1 is the least severe while stage 5 represents the most severe. This final stage is also known as end stage renal disease. This classification system provides a standard which offers guidelines for clinical treatment.

Common Causes of Kidney Diseases

Diseases of the kidney can be caused by a range of factors. Most diseases of the kidneys do not necessarily originate in the kidneys themselves, but may result from health conditions in other parts of the body. Diabetes mellitus (caused by malfunctioning pancreas that produces little or no insulin) is a prime examples.

Hypertension (or high blood pressure) is another example, of not only a cause but also a symptom of kidney disease. On average, the kidneys receive over 180 liters (50 gal) of blood each day. This means that they take on a heavy work load of balancing the chemicals in the blood and removing waste products. High blood pressure, therefore, puts additional stress on the kidneys and eventually damages them.

Additionally, the kidneys play an important part in helping to regulate blood pressure. Hypertension is therefore an indication that the kidneys are not functioning as well as they should. In this regard, hypertension is unique, in that it is both a cause and major symptom of kidney Diseases.

Bacterial infections are also responsible for diseases of the kidney. In fact the most common form of kidney disease, known as pyelonephritis (inflammation of the kidney), is caused by bacterial infection. Most such infections start in the bladder and spread to the kidneys.

However, the kidneys can also be affected by bacteria which infect other organs as well. For instance, the bacteria which cause tuberculosis can sometimes travel from the lungs to the kidneys and infect them.

Kidney function can also be affected when the body's immune system is impaired. Antibodies and other substances which form large particles in the bloodstream can become trapped in the kidneys' glomeruli, causing inflammation.

Kidney blockage is another factor which can adversely affect the kidneys. It is possible for damaged muscles to release large amounts of protein into the bloodstream, blocking the nephrons. Kidney functions may also be affected by blockage which is not directly in the kidneys. For instance, an obstruction that affects the flow of urine in the urinary tract can harm the kidneys.

Diet and lifestyle choices have a profound impact on the health of the kidneys. Within recent years, people have become much more mindful of the consequences of poor diet and lifestyle habits on overall health.

Remember, whatever you consume or put into your body will eventually affect your blood. Since the kidneys are responsible for filtering the blood and maintaining its correct concentration, they will be affected by anything which gets into the blood. It therefore stands to reason that if you consume foods or drugs (legal and illegal) which adversely affect the blood, they will also have an adverse effect on the kidneys.

Kidney stone is one example of kidney disease which largely results from poor diet. Kidney cancer , in some cases, could be as a result of poor lifestyle choices. While the exact cause of kidney cancer is not known, there is a strong association between kidney cancer and tobacco.

Birth defects or hereditary disorder in the kidneys may also be the cause of kidney diseases. Such defects could cause the kidneys to have abnormal shapes or to function improperly.

One example of a kidney condition caused by hereditary or genetic disorder is Kidney cyst. This condition is not usually classified as a disease, since in most cases it does not affect normal kidney function. There is another condition which is similar to kidney cyst but is much more serious. It is called polycystic kidney disease. This is a genetic disorder characterised by the growth of multiple cysts on the kidneys.

Alport Syndrome is another serious hereditary disorder that not only affects the kidneys, but vision and hearing as well. It is more common in males, with much more severe symptoms. Although some women with this condition display little or no symptoms, they can pass it on to their children. Kidney reflux disease is another condition caused by hereditary or genetic disorder. It is found mainly in children who inherited it from their parents.

Medullary sponge kidney is rare kidney disease that causes urine to remain in the kidneys. Although some cases of this disorder seem to be inherited, usually the cause is not known.

The causes of kidney disease are numerous. Since the major function of the kidney is to filter and regulate the blood, any disease which affects the blood or which can be transported in the bloodstream can also affect the kidneys. The body is a unit of inter-related systems, therefore, diseases which affect other organs or parts of the body can very easily affect the kidney, and vice versa.

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