The kidneys are bean-shaped organs located one on each side of the spine in the middle of the back, above your waist. They play important roles in cleaning your blood of waste and excess fluids, maintaining chemical balance in the blood, and helping to regulate your blood pressure.
Kidney disease may result in fluid and waste product accumulation in the body, which may lead to kidney failure. This can cause symptoms like body swelling, shortness of breath, weakness and poor sleep. Kidney problems must be treated immediately to prevent loss of function, which may be a serious, life-threatening condition.
Part 1: List of Kidney Problems
1. Acute Kidney Injury
Acute injury to the kidney can cause a sudden loss of function or acute renal failure.
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Your risk of developing this disease increases as you age. Other risk factors involved are genetic factors, smoking, and chronic abuse of pain medicines. Early stages of kidney cancer may have no symptoms, but during later stages, these may manifest as a lump in the abdomen, blood in the urine, unexplained weight loss, chronic pain in the side, loss of appetite. Treatments include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, biologic therapy and targeted therapy.
4. Kidney Cysts
Cysts are fluid-filled sacs. Kidney cysts are of two types:
• Polycystic kidney disease tends to run in families. Cysts take over normal tissues and cause the kidneys to enlarge and work poorly. This eventually leads to kidney failure. Cysts may also form in the liver and other parts of the body. Symptoms include pain in the sides and back, headache, bloody urine, and urinary tract infections. Diagnosis is made by getting a family history and taking imaging tests. Treatments include special medications, dialysis, or kidney transplant.
• Acquired cystic kidney disease is common in patients who are on dialysis. Unlike polycystic kidney disease, your kidneys are of normal size and cysts are not found in other parts of the body. Cysts develop after chronic kidney disease sets in. It is often harmless and need no treatment.
5. Kidney