When your kidney function falls below a certain point, it is referred to as a kidney failure or renal failure. Fortunately, you can still continue to lead a normal life with the right treatment for renal failure. Here are the three best treatments that you can choose depending on your condition and lifestyle:

1. Dialysis: Dialysis is the process that takes over the function of your kidneys to filter out the waste from your blood and maintain the proper balance of chemicals in the blood. You may use dialysis for many years or as a short-term treatment while waiting for a kidney transplant. Dialysis is not a cure for kidney disease, rather it helps you deal with renal failure. It is life-saving and without it, the kidneys will no longer function.

There are two types of dialysis treatments that you can choose from:

Hemodialysis   This type uses a machine to remove waste from the blood and sends it back to your body. It can be done at home or at a dialysis center.
Peritoneal Dialysis   This type uses the lining of your belly called the Peritoneum to do the work of your kidneys. A catheter and dialysis solution is used to carry out the function.
There are benefits and complications for each type of dialysis. The treatment decision will largely depend on the patient s illness and their past medical history. Discuss with your doctor to decide the best option for you.

2. Kidney Transplant: Kidney transplants can provide a better quality of life than dialysis and can be seen as a potential cure for kidney failure. A healthy kidney from a live donor or deceased donor is surgically placed in your body as a replacement to the failed kidneys. Although this may be a better option for you, it has certain shortcomings. There is an element of rejection and you may have to wait for a long time to get a donor. Extensive testing and anti-rejection medications are prescribed with this treatment.

3. Palliative Care: Rather than cure, it is the care that people with serious illness need. With so much to deal with, the patients have an array of tough questions and challenges to deal with. Patients need to take into account all medical options and care options based on their condition and severity of the renal failure.

Making the right treatment choice is difficult and that too when you are ill. It is normal to be fearful and worried about the risks involved. Get support from your family and doctor to help you make the right treatment choice. It may also be helpful to visit a dialysis or transplant center to talks to others who have been through these treatments.

3 Best Treatments for Renal Failure!

A lot of bad things can and do happen when the kidneys fail.  The kidneys are vital for proper bodily functioning because they filter liquid and solid waste products out of the blood and allow vital chemicals (which the body needs for functioning) to flow into the body through the bloodstream.  People can become very sick when the kidneys either fail to perform these functions or fail to perform them properly.  Many people will get chronic kidney disease, therefore, they need to know what the causes and symptoms are in order to treat, and even prevent these diseases from occurring.

People who suddenly experience the following symptoms should see a nephrologist as soon as possible for a medical examination:  blood or protein in the urine, kidney stones, acute kidney injury, kidney infections, and/or pain, and Hepatitis C and kidney disease.  

Blood in the urine can be a sign of kidney problems which can lead to kidney disease.  Additionally, people who urinate frothy or bubbly urine, or have swelling in the hands, face, and feet should see a doctor because this is a sign of protein in the urine.  Protein in the urine can be detected by a urine test.  Kidney stones can be very painful and are problematic.  They are caused by mineral buildup in the kidneys.  Men and white people tend to get kidney stones more, and they can cause blood in the urine, painful urination, sharp lower abdominal or back pain, and nausea and vomiting.

Acute kidney injury occurs when the kidneys stop functioning altogether in a short period of time.  Because this disease can be deadly, those with this disease should get immediate medical help.  Usually, the very sick patients in hospitals get this disease, but it can also be caused by certain medicines, injury, or infections.  This type of kidney disease is easily reversible.  

Symptoms include

Not passing enough urine when urinating
Leg, ankle, or feet swelling
Fatigue
Breathing problems
Confusion
Nausea, and chest pressure or pain. 
Kidney infections tend to be caused by bacteria that have spread from the urinary tract.  Women, because of their anatomy, tend to get kidney infections more than men. 

Symptoms include:

Fever
Vomiting
Back, side or groin pain
Chills
Nausea
Frequent urination
Frequent urges to urinate
Painful or burning urination
Pus or blood in the urine
Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
Kidney pain in the lower back or sides can signify more serious kidney problems.  They can be caused by urinary tract infections, polycystic kidney disease, kidney infections, blood clots, and/or bleeding in the kidneys.  
Hepatitis C is a disease that attacks the liver and can cause kidney disease.  

Symptoms include

Loss of appetite
Nausea
Fever
Fatigue
Vomiting
Dark colored urine
Grey colored stool
Joint pain
Yellow skin and eyes
While kidney diseases are at best unpleasant, and at worst, life-threatening, they can be avoided by drinking lots of water, eating a healthy low salt diet, and watching for any changes in health and urine over time.



What Happens When Kidneys Fail & Signs That Indicate It

You're said to suffer from the problem of acute kidney failure if your kidneys suddenly stop working and lose their ability to eliminate waste materials including excess fluids and salts from the blood. The condition usually develops quickly over a few days or even a few hours. When this happens, waste materials accumulate in your blood, disrupting the chemical balance of your bloodstream.

So, what causes this problem?

Acute kidney failure can occur because of any one of these reasons:

1. A drop or slowdown of blood flow to the kidneys - Adequate blood circulation to the kidneys is of great importance as without it the kidneys may end malfunctioning. If blood flow to the kidney is hampered, a part of or the entire kidney may die. You may suffer from acute kidney failure if blood flow to the kidneys gets impaired due to conditions like

Heavy blood loss
Sepsis (body's inflammatory reaction to an infection, which can bring about organ failure, tissue damage, and death)
Injury
Use of certain drugs
Dehydration
Burns
Heart disease
2. Urinary obstructions - A sudden blockage that hampers your kidney's ability to eliminate urine can also bring about acute kidney failure. When this happens, it leads to a build up of toxins in the body, causing an overload of the kidneys. Conditions that bring about this urinary obstruction include:

Cervical cancer
Colon cancer
Bladder cancer
Kidney stones
Enlarged prostate
Prostate cancer
3. Disease within the kidneys - Even instances of clotting within the blood vessels of the kidneys can lead to acute kidney failure. This is because if the movement of blood cells within the blood vessels gets hampered, kidneys are not able to filter out toxins from the body. The conditions and diseases that may cause clotting, and subsequently damage to the kidneys include:

Scleroderma (an autoimmune disease that affects connective tissues and skin)
Build-up of cholesterol deposits
Glomerulonephritis (an inflammatory condition of the kidney's ball-shaped structures called glomeruli)
Hemolytic uremic syndrome (a condition that occurs due to untimely death of red blood cells)
Lupus (a disorder of the body's immune system that brings about damage to the body's own organs and tissues)

3 Causes of Acute Kidney Failure!

There can be no better way to maintain a healthy lifestyle other than a regular exercise and fitness routine. Sometimes even after surgeries, doctors recommend exercise to the patients for a speedy recovery. A kidney transplant is one such surgery that requires you to follow a strict fitness regime after the operation process.

Importance of Exercise after a Kidney Transplant:

Exercise, as recommended by the doctor, should be an integral part of the lives of kidney transplant patients. The variations of exercise may differ depending on the age and general physical health of the patient. The need for exercise after a transplant is as follows  

  Helps to increase energy levels
  Increases overall physical strength and immunity
  Helps maintain a standard weight as an obese body is very harmful for patients suffering from kidney ailments
  Reduces stress, anxiety and depression
  Prevents after effects of kidney transplant like high blood pressure and cholesterol level
  Helps to strengthen bones
  Helps tone muscles and increases balance and joint flexibility
  Strengthens the heart and overall cardiovascular system
  Helps the patient to sleep better
  Boosts self-image and increases confidence

Types of Exercises that can be done:

  Stretching   Consistent stretching before any exercise helps increase muscle strength. It also prevents muscle strain and injury.
  Aerobic   Aerobic or cardiovascular exercises are generally recommended for younger patients. It includes moderately heavy exercises involving a greater number of muscles. This kind of exercise strengthens the heart and lungs and improves breathing. Aerobic exercises include walking, jogging, jumping rope, bicycling, skating, rowing and water aerobics. However, for most patients, brisk walking or jogging is recommended.
Ideally one should exercise for a minimum period of 20 minutes at least four times a week.

Things to Remember:

  It has been medically proved that patients who exercise regularly following a kidney transplant procedure are more likely to survive healthily for the upcoming 5 years compared to patients who lead a sedentary life.
  However one should not resort to heavy and strenuous exercises immediately after the surgery. It is advisable to start with mild forms of exercise like walking and increase the levels gradually depending on one s age.
  One should not eat a heavy meal just before exercising.
  It is important to stop for breaks in between exercise. The patient should not over exert himself.
  It is advisable to avoid lifting heavy weights like dumbbells.
  Stop exercising immediately if you experience chest pain, lightheadedness or pressure in chest, neck or arm.
  Consult the doctor for the kinds of exercises you can do depending on your condition.

With a healthy diet and regular exercise, there are fewer chances of reoccurrence of kidney ailments.

Fitness/Exercise/Games After Kidney Transplant!

Two kidneys are present on either side of the spine, above the waist. The kidneys perform important functions of cleansing the blood, controlling blood pressure and maintaining salt and mineral balances. Kidney related issues are to be treated as soon as they occur as failing to do so might lead to kidney failure, which is a serious condition.

Ayurvedic approach for treating kidney related problems
Each type of medical treatment has their distinctive approaches towards such treatment and so does Ayurvedic care. The weak body is toned up in a natural way in the first stage. The second stage is the prevention of diseases using natural remedies and the final stage is treatment through ayurvedic care.

Causes for kidney related issues and Ayurvedic care for such issues
The causes for kidney related issues are toxins, anatomical abnormalities, abiotic stress, mental imbalance, the easy entrance of microvita, and side effects of various allopathic medicines. One major reason for kidney related problems is the side effects of modern medicines or over dosage of allopathic medication. On the contrary, the medication system of Ayurveda effectively treats all the issues in a natural way without imposing ill-effects to the human body.

When to seek Ayurvedic care?
A few symptoms, the occurrence of which indicates that you should consult a doctor for checking of kidney related issues are nausea, weakness, ankle swelling, vomiting and shortness of breath. A few other symptoms are high blood pressure or urea and decreased hemoglobin. If these symptoms are due to kidney related problems, Ayurveda cure for kidney related issues is one of the best options for recovery.

Prevention of kidney failure- Ayurveda treatment to avoid dialysis
"Prevention is better than cure." If kidney problems arise, it is best to take preventive measures to avoid kidney failure. A few things that help in preventing kidney failure are controlling blood pressure, controlling blood sugar and improving breathing pattern. Diet plays a major role in preventing kidney failure. Ayurveda approach insists the change of acidic diet to an alkaline one. Diabetes and blood sugar can also lead to kidney failure. According to Ayurveda, natural remedies are available to treat chronic kidney failure patients. Dialysis can be avoided and the kidney functions can be restored with the help of a few herbal remedies in the Ayurveda approach. The level of creatinine and urea are controlled effectively by Ayurveda treatment

Recovery using Ayurveda care for kidney failure patients
Kidney damage for a period of 3 months or more is known as chronic kidney failure. The treatment of underlying cause, treatment of damaged kidneys and treatment of dhatus (body tissues) which makes up the kidneys are done in the case of Ayurvedic care. The kidneys are made up of "Rakta" and "Meda" and treating these two will lead to recovery. The benefits of using Ayurvedic medications for kidney related issues are plenty. The kidney damage is recovered, the risk of death can be reduced to a significant extent and frequency of dialysis can be minimized effectively.

Kidney Issues - How Ayurveda Can Help You?

Kidneys are an important part of the human body. From filtering wastes from the blood to maintaining the blood pressure and red blood cell count in the body, the kidney does it all. Both the kidneys are essential organs and should there be any discomfort in the kidneys, one should consult a medical practitioner as soon as possible. Kidney failure is a common problem in people. This issue manifests itself with certain signs and symptoms. One should listen to these symptoms and act quickly before the condition worsens. Here are some of the signs and symptoms of kidney failure.

Interestingly, in the initial stages, kidney failure portrays no symptoms. It starts developing slowly and steadily causing discomfort in other parts of the body and hindering the working of other organs.

Weakness: If you are suffering from kidney failure, you will start feeling weak. Weakness is however not a symptom which can confirm a kidney failure. Weakness is caused due to many other health issues and thus, you need to verify with other symptoms to be sure of the fact that you are suffering from kidney failure only.

Shortness of Breath: You may start experiencing heavy breathing right after doing some rigorous work. In fact, you might feel shortness of breath or be panting for long moments after climbing just a set of stairs. Shortness of breath is quite common indicating that the body is getting tired after doing work. Such indication, more than once a day, calls for an immediate check up of the body.

Lethargy: While most people, especially the young generation to those in the early thirties jokingly declare themselves as lazy people; lethargy, however, is a symptom of many diseases. Various health issues develop if you feel lethargic of working. Apart from kidney failure, diabetes is also manifested in lethargic body movements. At times, just getting out of the bed in the morning seems very tiring and one continues to lie on the bed even after he/she is fully awake.

Stomach Pain: If you experience pain in the stomach, especially in the sides, then it should be immediately checked by a medical practitioner. Doctors say that kidney failure can bring about stomach pains.

Unusual Urine Discharges: This would include clear urine discharges which indicate that the kidney has stopped filtering the waste products.

Thus, these are some of the most important and common symptoms of kidney failure. If you notice any of these, it is advised to visit a doctor for a check up.

Symptoms of Kidney Failure

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