Diabetic Kidney Disease: Know Symptoms, Causes, Risk Factors And Prevention Tips To Avoid Complications

Diabetes is one of the most commonly occurring diseases and then comes kidney problems. You must have heard of kidney failure, kidney stones and urinary tract infections. What if there kidney disease and diabetes combine to affect a single person? It sounds dangerous right, it is likely so but the complications can be minimised by knowing symptoms of diabetic kidney disease and risks that are associated with it. Diabetes is also responsible for increased risk of infection of kidney problems; hence let us know about this problems and conditions that occur along it.

What Is Diabetic Kidney Disease?

Diabetic kidney disease is a chronic condition that goes on for rest of your life at times. According to Dr. Ashok Mehra, Senior Endocrinologist from Vozart Healthcare Hospital, Kanpur says that diabetic kidney disease happen to more senior adults than younger generation. However he says that symptoms start arising from mid or late thirties in majority of patients. 

This can be caused because of some underlying health conditions, diabetes or some hormone issues. People with diabetes either do not make insulin or their hormones are imbalanced. Those who have diabetes have increased risk for kidney disease. In fact 1 out of every 3 people who have diabetes suffers from some kind of kidney disease of infection. 

How Can You Check Diabetic Kidney Disease?

Diabetic kidney disease can be determined by Glomerular filtration rate. The function of kidney is to filter the unwanted waste or toxins from the body and get rid of it in form of urine. Glumerular filtration rate test is taken to measure the efficiency of the kidneys to measure filtration rate. 

As diabetic kidney disease does not have symptoms, hence it becomes a valuable asset in terms to determine this disease. It is also seen that GFR test is very safe and helps in monitoring diabetic kidney disease as well. Specifically people who have risk of kidney disease should get this test done. Glomerular filtration rate determines the creatinine levels in the body. However there is a range which is preferably safe for testing.

Also Read- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Symptoms of Diabetic Kidney Disease

• Fatigue
• Having painful muscle cramps
• Poor sleep
• Swelling in legs, ankles or feet
• Intense itching
• Decreased appetite
• Problem in urination, more or less urination
• Blood pressure problem
• Problem concentrating
• Nausea and vomiting 
• Shortness of breath at times

Also Read- Left Bundle Branch Block: Know All About This Heart Condition In Detail

What Causes Diabetic Kidney Disease?

This condition is caused by either of the diabetes, type 1 and type 2. Diabetes damage the blood vessels present in the kidneys and cells that keep in working effectively. Over period of time, diabetes of either kind starts leading to cluster in the blood vessels that effects your kidneys. After some time, the kidneys are unable to filter blood properly leading to kidney damage and high blood pressure. It can also result to kidney damage that may increase pressure on the filtering system. 

Risk Factors of Diabetic Kidney Disease

1. Having uncontrolled high levels of blood pressure
2. Being a smoker
3. High blood cholesterol
4. Obesity 
5. Uncontrolled high blood sugar
6. Obesity 
7. Having a history of diabetes or kidney diseases

Complications of Having Diabetic Kidney Disease

Diabetic neuropathy can develop several other issues over time and it can lead to complication such as the following-

• Rise in potassium in the blood stream
• Fluid retention and swelling in the arms or legs.
• Rise in blood pressure or accumulation of fluid in the lungs
• Reduced number of red blood cells in the stream that transports oxygen leading to depletion of cardiovascular issues
• Having foot sores 
• Problems such as erectile dysfunction in older males
• Diarrhoea and damaged nerve cells
• Bone and mineral disorders can also be caused because of inability of maintain kidney issues
• Fluid retention in the kidneys
• Irreversible kidney damage that results to kidney transplant and dialysis

Prevention Tips for Diabetic Kidney Disorders

1. Keep a regular check on your diabetes and management techniques
2. Keep your diabetes in under control
3. Maintain a healthy weight and exercise to reduce weight
4. Manage your high blood pressure, monitor it and take medicines on time
5. Take over the counter medications as soon as there are issues with your kidney
6. Stop smoking and excessive drinking which can prevent you from complications and severity

Picture Credits- pexels.com