Why are there more and more cases of "kidney failure" in China? Reminder: Avoid these 6 habits, your kidneys will thank you

Mr. Zhou, 75 years old, found that his urine volume decreased, his urine was dark tea-colored, and he felt general weakness 5 days ago, so he went to the hospital for treatment.

During the consultation, the doctor examined Mr. Zhou and found that his skin was dry, his mind was clear, his spirit was lethargic, and his speech was slurred; there was clear percussion sound in the bladder area, the muscle strength of the left limbs was level 4, and the muscle strength of the right side was level 4+; there was no edema in both lower limbs, the skin of both feet was dark purple, the skin temperature was low, and pressure sores were visible in many parts of the body.

Subsequently, the doctor performed tests on his renal function, blood routine, electrolytes, C-reactive protein, coagulation, myocardial enzyme spectrum, etc. The results showed: elevated muscle enzymes, mild anemia, decreased uric acid, significantly elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, significantly elevated plasma creatinine and urea nitrogen, water and electrolyte disorders, decreased blood calcium, and elevated myocardial enzymes. Based on the test results and Mr. Zhou's physical signs, the doctor admitted him to the hospital for treatment of acute renal failure .

After 14 days of hospitalization, Mr. Zhou's urine volume increased, the urine color gradually became lighter, his spirits improved, and he could lie flat at night. The doctor found that he was conscious, in good mental state, and had no special discomfort, so he was allowed to be discharged from the hospital.

Two weeks later, Mr. Zhou had his blood routine, liver function, kidney function, electrolytes and other indicators checked again. The results showed that high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, plasma creatinine and urea nitrogen had decreased significantly, the electrolyte imbalance had improved, and the other indicators had improved to varying degrees.

Doctors remind that acute renal failure is an emergency clinical disease. Its typical symptoms include decreased urine volume, darker urine color, edema, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, dizziness, etc. Once such symptoms occur, you should seek medical attention in time to find out the cause to avoid worsening of the disease and affecting your health.

As the largest metabolic organ in the human body, the kidney is an important "purification plant" of the human body. It excretes metabolic products, regulates the body's water, electrolyte and acid-base balance, and maintains the stability of the body's internal environment.

The kidney is also an "introverted and tolerant" organ. It works hard and diligently every day, but when it is tired or injured, it is used to being silent and patient and will not easily "lose its temper". However, when it can no longer hold on and is exhausted, it often catches people off guard.

Data from the "Guidelines for Screening, Diagnosis and Prevention of Chronic Kidney Disease" published in the "Chinese Journal of Practical Internal Medicine" show that the number of adults with chronic kidney disease in China has reached 130 million . On average, there may be 1 in every 10 adults in the country with chronic kidney disease , which is dozens of times the number of cancer patients. Among them , nearly 30 million patients develop end-stage renal disease .

What is even more frightening is that the awareness rate of chronic kidney disease among Chinese people is only about 12.5% , and the vast majority of patients lose their kidney function due to "ignorance".

These 5 signs in your body indicate that you have kidney problems

1

Abnormal urination

The kidneys are important organs for producing and excreting urine. Patients with poor kidney function may experience abnormal urination, with common symptoms including changes in urine volume, frequency, color, and odor.

Patients may have hematuria , and in severe cases , urine may be the color of meat-washing water , as well as frequent urination (especially frequent urination at night), urgency, and pain when urinating, and an increase in white blood cells and albumin in the urine (i.e., more foam in the urine) .

When a patient develops renal failure caused by renal damage, the glomerular filtration rate decreases, fluid metabolism through the kidneys is impaired, and fluid accumulates in the tissue spaces, which can cause symptoms such as oliguria, anuria, and edema .

2

Body edema

The kidneys are the main organs for excreting water and sodium. When kidney function becomes abnormal, the kidney's excretion function decreases, leading to water retention in the body and edema.

The edema can be seen in the face and eyelids , as well as in the lower limbs . In severe cases, systemic edema may occur , and even pleural effusion, ascites, etc. may occur.

Generally speaking, lower limb edema is more common, and pitting edema can be seen in the skin of the legs.

The main characteristic of edema in patients with renal failure is bilateral symmetry , which can be relieved after rest but cannot disappear completely. This edema is related to diet and the amount of protein in the urine.

3

Back pain

Although most back pain is related to muscles, bones, etc., kidney disease can also cause back pain.

Some patients with poor kidney function may experience low back pain, but the symptoms are generally mild and not as obvious as the pain from kidney stones. Most of the time, they are characterized by soreness and swelling .

Moreover, some patients may not have symptoms of low back pain, but sometimes have symptoms of low back soreness, weakness, and fatigue .

4

Fatigue and drowsiness

When the kidneys have excretion problems, water and electrolytes cannot be excreted from the body in time, which can lead to metabolic disorders . Patients are prone to feeling sleepy and weak , and may also experience symptoms such as poor eating, loss of appetite, and vomiting .

In addition, when the kidneys are not in good condition, the degradation and excretion of multiple hormones will be blocked, and the secretion of erythropoietin will be reduced, which can lead to anemia . Long-term anemia can cause insufficient blood supply , making patients prone to symptoms of fatigue and drowsiness .

5

Dull skin tone

Skin color can be related to the health of your kidneys, as the kidneys help remove toxins from the body.

When kidney function is good, the amount of toxins accumulated in the body will be less, and the amount of toxins on the skin will also decrease, making the skin rosy and shiny.

When kidney function is abnormal, urea toxins accumulate under the skin for a long time, which can increase the production of melanin in the patient's body , leading to melanin deposition and dull skin conditions, such as dark circles under the eyes, dull complexion, and lack of luster .

If you want to have healthy kidneys, avoid these 6 habits

01

Always holding urine

Many people cannot stop working once they are busy, so going to the toilet is naturally "delayed". In the winter nights, the bed is warm and comfortable, and they are unwilling to get up and go to the toilet even when they need to pee.

If you hold your urine for a long time , the urine will stay in the bladder for too long and bacteria will easily multiply. When the urine exceeds the capacity of the bladder, it will flow back into the ureter, causing urinary tract infection, damaging the kidneys, and increasing the risk of uremia.

For adults with normal renal function, daily urine volume should be maintained at around 1500-2000 ml , and urination should be at least 4 times a day , generally 4-6 times during the day and 0-2 times at night. The specific number of times is related to the amount of water consumed.

Therefore, you must remember that when you feel the urge to urinate, do not hold it in and go to the toilet in time!

02

Eating too salty

According to traditional Chinese medicine, salty taste enters the kidneys , and salty medicines can enter the kidney meridian, which has a certain kidney-tonifying effect. Eating salty food in moderation has a kidney-tonifying effect, but eating too much will damage the kidneys.

The kidneys can metabolize about 95% of the salt in our daily diet . If you eat too much salt, it will increase the burden on your kidneys and cause damage to them.

Moreover, the sodium contained in salt is hydrophilic, which makes it difficult for water to be excreted, causing edema and further aggravating kidney damage.

A high-salt diet may also cause proteinuria, kidney stones, renal osteodystrophy, etc.

03

Drinking too little water

Water is an important "cleanser" for the kidneys . Sufficient water can help the kidneys eliminate waste and toxins.

If you do not drink water for a long time, or drink insufficient water, your urine will become concentrated and your urine volume will decrease. Over time, this will increase the burden on your kidneys, leading to decreased kidney function and the inability to excrete metabolic waste in the body in a timely manner.

Common clinical conditions such as kidney stones and hydronephrosis are closely related to not drinking water for a long time.

04

Staying up late for a long time

The kidneys are most afraid of being overworked . Staying up late for a long time and being overly fatigued can cause great damage to the kidneys and liver. They can cause a large accumulation of toxins in the liver and kidneys, leading to abnormal kidney metabolism and kidney-related diseases.

A study on sleep and kidney disease found that participants who slept less than 5 hours a night had the fastest decline in kidney function and a higher incidence of proteinuria, while participants who slept 7 to 8 hours or more than 9 hours a night had a relatively slow rate of decline in kidney function . Therefore, in order to protect your kidneys, you must go to bed early and stay up late less.

05

Substance abuse

As the saying goes, every medicine is poisonous.

Many medicines are nephrotoxic, such as some antibiotics, antipyretics, analgesics, Chinese herbal medicines, health products or folk remedies. If you do not follow the doctor's advice and take them indiscriminately, it can easily lead to irreversible damage and cause renal insufficiency.

Survey data show that about 25% of renal failure is related to drug abuse.

06

Excessive fatigue

Excessive fatigue is a high-risk factor for kidney disease. According to statistics, about 70% of nephritis patients are related to long-term overwork.

If people are in a state of fatigue for a long time, it is easy to cause a decrease in body resistance, which gives bacteria and viruses an opportunity to take advantage, easily causing kidney damage, back pain, edema of the lower limbs and eyelids, proteinuria and other phenomena.

In addition, the kidneys are responsible for bone and marrow production, and the brain is the sea of ​​marrow. If you overuse your brain for a long time, it can easily damage your kidneys.

References:

[1] Qiu Yijun, Zhu Chengwei. Observation on the effect of community-family-self-management in patients with early chronic kidney disease [J]. Health Management, 2017, 7 (14): 241-242.

[2] Huang Suzhen, Lu Lixin. Prevention strategies for chronic kidney disease[J]. Chinese and Foreign Health Digest, 2009, 6(35): 262-263.

[3] Xiao Shuang. Cherish life and protect kidneys [J]. Kaijuanyi (Seeking Medical Advice), 2010, (3): 14-15.

[4] Wang Qiling. Take good care of your kidneys[J]. Health Expo, 2006, (5): 22-23.