That's how many people have kidney disease in the United States today--that's six million more than just ten years ago...or about 13 percent of the present population of the USA.
Our kidney's serve an important function. They purify our blood, keep our bones and tissues healthy and, help to keep our blood pressure at a normal level.
Normally, most of us have two kidneys--fist-size organs found in our back, below the ribcage.
Most kidney disease is helped along by diabetes and high blood pressure--which is what makes me such a prime candiate for the illness, as I have both issues, at the present time. Women prone to urinary tract infections, should also have their kidney's tested, periodically
Anyone, at any age whatsoever, can develop kidney disease. If your kidneys cease to function, you have only two options: go on dialysis, or get a kidney transplant.
The kidneys filter around 200 liters of our blood, every single day. When they stop working, all the bad stuff in our blood, stays there...which would kill us, eventually, without the assistance of a dialysis machine.
What is dialysis?
This is where a patient lays down on a reclining chair, and is hooked up to a dialysis machine. This machine does the work that the kidneys normally would do. It pumps the blood out of the patient, filters it through the machine--removing waste, salt and extra water. It also maintains a safe level of chemicals in the blood, such as potassium and sodium. Regular dialysis also helps to control blood pressure, as well. The machine does all this, and then pumps the blood back into the patient again. The average time for this is roughly 3 hours, give or take an hour or two.
Patients often have to go for treatment three times a week. Dialysis is done either in hospital, or, as with my mum, inside a special treatment centre, just for kidney patients. Wherever they go, the nursing staff are always attentive to patient's needs, and patients are kept as comfortable as possilbe, often with access to a televison and/or reading matierals, and someone to see to their needs, such as getting them some coffee or water. Yet, with the advent of new medical technology, dialysis can also be done at home, by the patient, whom is carefully trained and monitored by medical staff.
Some of the effects of this disease on patients include: vomiting, nausea, loss of bodily functions/control, diaarrea, loss of appetite, severe weakness or dizziness.
People most at risk for developing kidney failure, include people who have a family history of the disease (such as myself), and also people who have high blood pressure and/or diabetes.
Kidney disease isn't always fatal. Some kinds of acute kidney failure get better after treatment. In some cases of acute kidney failure, dialysis may only be needed for a short time until the kidneys get better.
However, for those who have chronic kidney failure, the outlook is much more grim:
In chronic or end stage kidney failure, your kidneys do not get better and you will need dialysis for the rest of your life. If your doctor says you are a candidate, you may choose to be placed on a waiting list for a new kidney.
But, this disease is preventable, in many cases. By drinking plenty of water each day, carefully monitoring your blood pressure, trying to make heathy food choices, and exercising regularly, you have a much better chance of never developing this disease.
Of course, there are extenuating circumstances, such as being born with on enlarged kidney, like my mum was. Though mum sometimes had high blood pressure, she didn't have diabetes.
Other problems that can develop in your kidneys, include: kidney stones, urinary tract infections, kidney cancer and prostate cancer. If you have a family history of any of these diseases, tell your doctor.
Some causes of kidney cancer can be:
smoking, obesity, occupational hazards--such as exposure on the job to certain types of chemicals--some types of radiation therapy and long-term dialysis treatment.
For more information in the USA, go to the National Kidney Foundations website: http://www.kidney.org/
In the UK, visit the website of the UK's National Kidney Federation: http://www.kidney.org.uk/
Dialysis machine in use on a patient:
