Did you know that 37 million adults have kidney disease and the majority of people do not know they have it? One out of 3 three people are at risk for kidney disease. The kidneys are our primary source of detoxification. These two small organs clean the blood and filter waste products and toxins from the body through the urine.
The National Kidney Foundation Explains How The Kidneys Work Below:
• Blood enters the kidneys through an artery from the heart
• Blood is cleaned by passing through millions of tiny blood filters
• Waste material passes through the ureter and is stored in the bladder as urine
• Newly cleaned blood returns to the bloodstream by way of veins
• Bladder becomes full and urine passes out of the body through the urethra.1
The kidneys perform their life-sustaining job of filtering and returning to the bloodstream about 200 quarts of fluid every 24 hours. Approximately two quarts are eliminated from the body in the form of urine, while the remainder, about 198 quarts, is retained in the body. The urine we excrete has been stored in the bladder for approximately one to eight hours.1
There are several key warning indicators of kidney disease. While many of these get confused with other conditions or get ignored completely, if you have any of the following symptoms, it’s imperative to see your healthcare provider and to get additional testing done.
According the National Kidney Foundation, these are the 10 most common signs of kidney disease:1
1. Fatigue—You’re more tired, have less energy or are having trouble concentrating. A severe decrease in kidney function can lead to a buildup of toxins and impurities in the blood. This can cause people to feel tired, weak and can make it hard to concentrate. Another complication of kidney disease is anemia, which can cause weakness and fatigue.
2. Trouble Sleeping—When the kidneys aren’t filtering properly, toxins stay in the blood rather than leaving the body through the urine. This can make it difficult to sleep. There is also a link between obesity and chronic kidney disease, and sleep apnea is more common in those with chronic kidney disease, compared with the general population.
3. Dry, Itchy Skin— Healthy kidneys do many important jobs. They remove wastes and extra fluid from your body, help make red blood cells, help keep bones strong and work to maintain the right amount of minerals in your blood. Dry and itchy skin can be a sign of the mineral and bone disease that often accompanies advanced kidney disease, when the kidneys are no longer able to keep the right balance of minerals and nutrients in your blood.
4. Frequent Urination—If you feel the need to urinate more often, especially at night, this can be a sign of kidney disease. When the kidneys filters are damaged, it can cause an increase in the urge to urinate. Sometimes this can also be a sign of a urinary infection or enlarged prostate in men.
5. Blood in Urine—Healthy kidneys typically keep the blood cells in the body when filtering wastes from the blood to create urine, but when the kidney’s filters have been damaged, these blood cells can start to “leak” out into the urine. In addition to signaling kidney disease, blood in the urine can be indicative of tumors, kidney stones or an infection.
6. Foamy Urine— Excessive bubbles in the urine – especially those that require you to flush several times before they go away—indicate protein in the urine. This foam may look like the foam you see when scrambling eggs, as the common protein found in urine, albumin, is the same protein that is found in eggs.
7. Puffy Eyes— Protein in the urine is an early sign that the kidneys’ filters have been damaged, allowing protein to leak into the urine. This puffiness around your eyes can be due to the fact that your kidneys are leaking a large amount of protein in the urine, rather than keeping it in the body.
8. Swollen Feet and Ankles— Decreased kidney function can lead to sodium retention, causing swelling in your feet and ankles. Swelling in the lower extremities can also be a sign of heart disease, liver disease and chronic leg vein problems.
9. Poor Appetite—This is a very general symptom, but a buildup of toxins resulting from reduced kidney function can be one of the causes.
10. Muscles Cramps— Electrolyte imbalances can result from impaired kidney function. For example, low calcium levels and poorly controlled phosphorus may contribute to muscle cramping.
Advanced Urology Institute
A partnership of highly qualified, board-certified urologists practicing in the state of Florida AUI was developed as a single-specialty physician led organization to respond to the mounting changes in healthcare. Solo-practitioners and small groups cannot keep up with the increased governmental burdens and continue to stay focused on providing the highest level of care to their patients. We believe that by combining our efforts, geographically disparate Urology groups can function most efficiently and effectively to deliver the highest quality medical care to our patients.
Services Offered & Conditions We Treat
• Erectile Dysfunction
• Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
• Kidney Stones
• Da Vinci Robotic Assisted Surgery
• Prostate Cancer Treatment
• Vasectomy & Vasectomy Reversal
• Urinary Tract Infection
• Pediatric Urology
• Women’s Urological Health
We Value Patient-Centered, Evidence-Based Care
As a patient, you can be certain that you are a critical member of our treatment team. We will answer your questions and strive to provide the best services and the best care, based on your individual needs, preferences, and choices. AUI Physicians emphasize the use of proven treatment guidelines within our specialty, to optimize clinical decision making. Through our internal measures, our involvement in research studies, and our passion for continuous learning, you can be confident that our treatment team is providing you with the best treatment options.
Please Contact Advanced Urology Institute Today.
Advanced Urology Institute
239.465.4157
www.advancedurologyinstitute.com
1035 Piper Blvd., Suite 101, Naples, FL 34110
Reference:
1. The National Kidney Foundation, Kidneys and Your Health,
https://www.kidney.org/phi/form?version=health