ARE YOUR KIDNEYS OKAY?

WHAT IS THE STATUS OF YOUR KIDNEY?

This is one pertinent question that needs urgent answer in this our generation. For instance a staggering figure of about 30% of Nigerians which is well over 36.8 million people is said to have Chronic Kidney Disease. This high figure of people suffering Chronic Kidney Disease is not similar to Nigeria alone. For example, “Each year in the United States, more than 100,000 people are diagnosed with kidney failure, a serious condition in which the kidneys fail to rid the body of wastes” according to United States Renal Data System. Statistics also revealed that about 14 people per 1000 population suffer from Chronic Kidney Disease in India. Chronic Kidney Disease is not peculiar to these places only. The story is the same world over.

“Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) includes conditions that affect the kidneys with the potential to cause either loss of kidney function or complications resulting from decreased kidney function, thus endangering life” according to Kidney Care Project. There are two major causes of Chronic Kidney Disease with other minor causes. The major causes are Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus. Other minor causes of Chronic Kidney Diseases according to Kidney Care Project are:

1. Glomerulonephritis, a group of diseases that cause inflammation and damage to the kidneys' filtering units

2. Inherited diseases like Polycystic Kidney Disease, which causes large cysts to form in the kidney and damage the kidney tissue

3. Malformations during the development of the baby in the womb. For example, a narrowing may occur that prevents normal flow of urine resulting in back-flow into the kidney, causing damage to the kidneys.

4. Auto-immune disorders like Lupus Erythematosus

5. Repeated urinary infections

6. Indiscriminate use of pain-killers, especially Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs).

In African Countries where people use traditional or orthodox medicine, it has been observed too that some of those medications have led to the cause of Chronic Kidney Disease.

Those prone to Kidney disease are

1. People suffering Diabetes

2. If you are Hypertensive

3. An African or Aborigine

4. If there is history of Chronic Kidney Disease in your family

5. If you are obese

Now it is proper you answer this question: Are Your Kidneys Okay? What is the status of your Kidneys – good, normal, you don’t know, etc? If you are not sure of the answer, better go for Kidney screening now. Most of the known symptoms do not show until the last stage of Chronic Kidney Disease which is End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).