You may have heard about kidney failure. But are you aware of what exactly it is, or when does it happen? What are its symptoms, and how to treat it?

If one or both of your kidneys cannot function on their own, that condition is called kidney failure or renal failure.

When your kidneys fail, you should know that you have reached a serious stage and that you immediately need treatment.

We are here to help you understand the causes of kidney failure, its symptoms, and the treatment to follow.

Kidneys and their Functions

In order to understand kidney failure, you must first get a hang of how kidney functions.

Kidneys are located just below your ribcage, and each kidney is on each side of your spine. And they are shaped like beans.

Although you have two kidneys, you also can live with just one kidney, as long as it works perfectly.

One of the major functions of kidneys is to filter your blood and excrete the waste and toxins from your body while you pee. These waste products include urea, creatinine and other acids.

Kidneys do have some other functions as well :

• Acid- Base balance of your blood is controlled by your kidneys.

• If your blood doesn't have enough sugar, kidneys produce glucose.

• Renin, a protein which increases the blood pressure, is produced by your kidneys.

• Calcitriol, a hormone which helps your body to absorb calcium, is produced by kidneys.

• Erythropoietin, a hormone which helps your body in making red blood cells, is also produced by your kidneys.

Did you know that your kidneys filter about a half cup of blood, every minute? By now you might have understood how important your kidneys are.

Types of Kidney Failure

Now that you are aware of the crucial role kidneys play, let us dive into kidney failure. How does that happen?

There are two types of kidney failures - Acute and Chronic. And both these failures have different risk factors.

If your kidney function is lost for a short term, it is Acute Kidney Failure. This can be because of serious dehydration, infection, drugs or poison.

It can happen in a few hours or a few days.

Most of the time, kidneys will recover in a few days.

But there are situations when this kind of failure becomes a permanent damage, and leads to chronic kidney disease.

In this kind of failure, reversing the damage is impossible. It can take months or years to lead to this condition and eventually, it might cause Chronic Kidney Failure.

Causes for Kidney Failure

It is time to deep dive into the various factors that lead to kidney failure, both Acute and Chronic.

Here are the major reasons for Acute Kidney Failure :

• There isn't enough blood flow to your kidneys

• Some drugs can cause Acute Kidney Failure

• Severe dehydration

• Heart disease or Liver disease, if not treated, result in this condition

• Autoimmune kidney diseases

• Urinary Tract Obstruction

Reasons for Chronic Kidney Failure are here:

• Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

• High blood pressure. It can cause damage to blood vessels that goes to your kidneys

• Lead poisoning, medications like Ibuprofen, Naproxen, IV street drugs, proximity to certain chemicals for a long period, etc are certain things that can lead to Chronic Kidney Failure.

• Polycystic kidney disease. You get this disease from any of your parents. This occurs when cysts grow inside your kidneys.

• Glomerular disease can affect the waste filtering ability of your kidneys, and if it becomes worse, you can imagine how it will result in chronic kidney failure.

• Lupus, an autoimmune disease, can damage any of your organs, which includes kidneys.

Symptoms of Kidney Failure

How will you know if you’re having Acute or Chronic Kidney Failures? Let us identify their symptoms here.

Remember, if you are in the early stages of kidney disease, there might be very few symptoms or no symptoms at all. It can also vary from person to person.

Treatment for Kidney Failure

Now that you’re aware of the risk factors and signs, let’s discuss what you would do if you get kidney failure.

Treatment for Kidney failure depends on how progressed your condition is. While some failures are treatable, for some, doctors can only slow down the symptoms.

By taking regular blood tests, blood pressure checks and through medication, your doctor can verify the health of your kidneys. And he can then prescribe the necessary treat that is needed for your Kidneys.

This might be a combination of medicines and changes in your diet.

There are 2 major types of treatment options, if your kidneys stopped functioning - Dialysis and Kidney Transplant.

Dialysis

If your kidneys stopped working, you will need Dialysis to filter the blood in your body.

There are two kinds of Dialysis :

HemoDialysis in which a machine will regularly clean your blood. You have to get it 3 or 4 days a week and this can be done in a hospital or a clinic.

Peritoneal Dialysis in which a bag with Dialysis solution will be attached to a catheter in your abdominal lining. The solution will flow into your abdominal lining. It will absorb waste products and those will get deposited back into the bag.

You can receive this treatment in your home too.

Kidney Transplant

You can live with just one kidney, if it's working well.

But if your kidney’s functioning is 20 percent or less than that, you will need Kidney Transplant

The new kidney could be from a living or a deceased donor. And after the kidney transplantation, your doctor will prescribe you the necessary medicines.

But for kidney transplant, your age, and medical conditions matter.

Also this whole process can be quite lengthy, since not just anyone can match with you. You and the donor should match, so that your body can accept the new kidney.

A new kidney can function for about 12 to 20 years, if your donor is a living person. And if it is from a dead donor, it will last for 8 to 12 years.

Clinical Trials

If you have chronic kidney failure, there is another option, which is Clinical Trials. They are to evaluate the medications, treatments and protocols for kidney failures. You can participate in it.

How to Avoid Kidney Diseases?

Before getting into these chronic stages, you should try to keep your kidneys healthy.

• Drink plenty of water and other fluids.

• Include fruits, vegetables, and other food items which are beneficial for your kidneys.

• Avoid processed food and decrease the intake of food items which contain too much sodium.

• Self monitor and look out for any of the above mentioned symptoms.

• Engage in any physical activity.