Kidney Failure - Can It Be Prevented?

The symptoms of kidney failure not at all become visible during its early stage. As the underlying conditions causing the kidney failure progress, the symptoms become more and more apparent. Symptoms like suffering from nausea, breathlessness, poor appetite, weight loss, trouble sleeping, anemia, tiredness, swelling of the ankles or feet, a reduced amount of urine, muscle cramps, etc. become more evident as the kidney condition starts to deteriorate. The moment you notice any symptoms of kidney failure, it is imperative that you consult a nephrologist.

Though kidney failure is the condition wherein one of the kidneys fail to function, treatment options are still available to improve the situation. This includes dialysis and transplantation. Dialysis is the process used to perform the function of the damaged kidney on a regular basis, and transplant is the surgical option wherein the damaged kidney is removed and replaced with a functional kidney from a donor. Depending on factors such as patient condition and the availability of donor kidney your doctor will decide on the course of action.

When the kidney failure occurs due to various long-standing reasons, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, chronic kidney failure occurs. But, when kidneys stop functioning all of a sudden (within 2 to 3 days), due to heart attack, blockage in the urinary tract or sudden disruption in the blood flow, it is referred to as acute kidney failure, which is not permanent like that of the chronic case. It is solely depending on the type and stage of kidney failure that a nephrologist can offer the best treatment solutions to a patient.

For those who are diagnosed in the early stages of kidney issues, preventing severe kidney failure and saving the remaining functionality of the kidneys is possible. However, he or she must follow the strict directions given by the doctor. By controlling the blood glucose, blood pressure, making some lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking or eating low-protein fat, etc., preventing kidney failure can be possible. But in the case of acute kidney failure no such preventive measures can be defined except that one should have a healthy lifestyle to avoid the issue altogether.