What is chronic kidney disease (CKD)?

Chronic kidney disease describes a group of conditions which damage the kidneys and affect their ability to filter blood. If kidney disease progresses, toxins and waste materials build up in the blood and make a person feel sick.

With early-stage kidney disease, the symptoms may be very mild. If the condition continues to worsen, the symptoms may become more severe.

You may experience symptoms such as:

• Swelling in the extremities
• Extreme fatigue 
• Metallic taste in mouth
• Urinating more or less
• Muscle cramps
• Have trouble sleeping 

Symptoms will vary depending on the severity of the kidney disease. Certain symptoms are often associated with other health conditions and may not lead to a diagnosis of kidney disease at first.

What causes chronic kidney disease?

Diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common causes of chronic kidney disease. When high blood pressure and diabetes are not sufficiently treated or controlled, the damage to the kidneys will continue to progress. 

Other causes of chronic kidney disease include diseases that cause inflammation or damage to the kidneys. Some cancers, kidney stones, and an enlarged prostate may also contribute to the development of chronic kidney disease. 

Who is at risk for chronic kidney disease?

Several factors may increase your risk of chronic kidney disease, including:

• Family history of kidney disease
• Abnormal kidney structure
• Type 1 or 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Cardiovascular disease
• Older age
• Smoking
• Obesity
• Frequent use of medications that damage the kidneys

Chronic kidney disease care can help you manage your disease as well as other health issues that can worsen your condition. 

How is chronic kidney disease treated?

Your chronic kidney disease treatment plan at Auburn Medical Group might involve more than one treatment. To help your kidneys function better and avoid complications from chronic kidney disease, the team might recommend:

• Dietary adjustments
• Stopping smoking or drinking alcohol 
• Medications for high blood pressure
• Medications for anemia
• Medications for bone strength
• High-cholesterol medications

Without proper care and treatment, you might develop late-stage chronic kidney disease. Also known as kidney failure, the disease is much more complicated to treat than kidney disease as it causes your kidneys to shut down entirely. 

If you have kidney failure, you have two main options for treatment: dialysis and kidney transplant surgery. 

Dialysis is a treatment that performs your kidney function artificially. With hemodialysis, your blood filters through a machine. Another type of dialysis involves a solution that filters your blood.

A kidney transplant allows you to go without dialysis. The transplant can come from a donor, but it requires you to take lifelong medication to prevent your body from rejecting the new organ.

Call Auburn Medical Group or schedule an appointment online today to learn more about chronic kidney disease.