Around 37 million US adults suffer from kidney disease today, accounting for approximately 15% of adults in the US. Are you one of those 38 million people wondering whether you can reverse kidney illnesses?
CKD, or chronic kidney disease, cannot be cured, although you can control it. Acute kidney damage, also called acute kidney failure, can possibly be reversed to repair kidney health.
Understanding the origins and aggravating factors that contribute to kidney disease might help you manage and, in some cases, stop symptoms.
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What Is the Most Recent Research on Kidney Disease?
Despite previous evidence to the contrary, research into managing kidney disease is continuously evolving, including influential 2014 research demonstrating that grown kidneys are constantly renewing throughout life. Nonetheless, some kinds of kidney disease may be repairable with the correct interventions.
Is it Possible to Reverse CKD?
Chronic kidney disease develops when your kidneys lose their ability to filter blood.
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As the condition continues, wastes may accumulate, causing significant symptoms and other lengthy disorders.
Among these symptoms include the following:
- Anemia
- Hypertension
- Nerve Injury
- Malnutrition
CKD often manifests without warning signs and may progress to renal failure, necessitating dialysis or transplantation. High blood pressure and diabetes are two of the most common causes of CKD.
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Although there isn’t a cure for CKD and no way to reverse the damage, therapy focuses on treating underlying problems, lessening symptoms, and slowing the course of symptoms, including the following:
- Congestive heart failure
- Imbalance of electrolytes
- Significant weight loss
- Fluid build-up
- Bones that are weak or brittle
The most helpful way to address these problems is through regular follow-up and conversation with your doctor, as well as extensive lifestyle changes such as exercise, tobacco cessation, diet, and the right combo of supplements, such as vitamin supplements for iron, calcium, anemia, and vitamin D pills.
Chronic kidney disease is classified into three stages, with symptoms often appearing in stage three, which is the most severe.
Kidney Failure: Is it Treatable?
There are several kidney failure types, which include the following:
- Acute Intrinsic Kidney Failure: This type of kidney failure is caused by the kidneys’ inability to sift waste from the blood efficiently. Many cases may be treated or reversed if the cause is identified.
- Acute Prerenal Kidney Failure: This type of kidney failure is triggered by a transient decrease in blood flow. It is usually treatable when your doctor determines the cause of the decreased blood flow.
Chronic renal disease is more challenging to reverse. It has to be controlled via symptom management.
What Do Kidney Tests Include?
Kidney failure tests include:
- The extraction of tissue samples
- Urinalysis
- Urine volume calculations
- Imaging of blood samples
Changes in Lifestyle
For people with kidney disease, the following lifestyle changes are frequently advised:
- Quit smoking. Eat a healthy, balanced diet if you smoke.
- Limit salt consumption to less than 6g per day (around one teaspoon).
- Exercise on a regular basis. Aim for at least 150 minutes every week.
- Manage your alcohol consumption so that you do not exceed the recommended weekly limit.
- If you are overweight or obese, you should lose weight.
- Avoid using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen unless prescribed by a doctor; these medications may affect your kidneys if you have renal disease.
Speak with your doctor about how to live with CKD and what you can do to be healthy.
Kidney Transplantation
A kidney transplant is an alternative to dialysis for those with significantly impaired kidney function.
This is often the most successful therapy for severe kidney disease. Still, it requires extensive surgery and the use of medications (immunosuppressants) for the rest of your life to prevent your body from fighting the donor organ.
Because you may survive with one kidney, donor kidneys can come from either living or recently dead donors.
However, there is still a donor scarcity, and you might be waiting months or years for a transplant.
While you wait for a transplant, you may require dialysis.
Managing Kidney Disease in Collaboration with Your Doctor
While most kidney diseases are irreversible, you may still preserve your quality of life and health by working with your physician and implementing appropriate lifestyle adjustments for your diagnosis.
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It’s critical to remember that no 2 instances of renal failure are alike, and you should keep depending on your medical team to recommend the best treatments.
Maintain frequent visits, eat a kidney-healthy diet, and push yourself to make different lifestyle choices to alleviate symptoms.
