Be kind to your kidneys
World Kidney Day is on 8 March, and it aims to raise awareness about the importance of our kidneys, including overall kidney health and how to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease. This year's theme is 'Women and chronic kidney disease' as it has been identified that there is a clear need for increased awareness, timely diagnosis and proper follow up of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in pregnancy.
As part of World Kidney Day 2018, we are sharing some important information on kidney health and CKD. Read on to gain awareness and to promote kidney health for all.
Let's get the anatomy class out of the way
Just in case you weren't 100% sure, your kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs located on either side of your spine, below your ribs and behind your belly. Each kidney is approximately 10 to 12 centimetres long, roughly the size of a large fist. The kidneys' job is to filter your blood.
Do you know what chronic kidney disease is?
CKD is the gradual loss of kidney function. Your kidneys filter waste and excess fluids from your blood, which are then excreted in your urine. When chronic kidney disease reaches an advanced stage, dangerous levels of fluid, electrolytes and waste can build up in your body.
Diseases and conditions that cause CKD include type 1 or type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, glomerulonephritis (an inflammation of the kidney's filtering units), interstitial nephritis (an inflammation of the kidney's tubules and surrounding structures), polycystic kidney disease, prolonged obstruction of the urinary tract (from conditions such as enlarged prostate, kidney stones and some cancers) and recurrent kidney infections.
Are you at risk?
- Do you have high blood pressure?
- Do you suffer from diabetes?
- Do you have a family history of kidney disease?
- Are you overweight?
- Do you smoke?
- Are you over 50 years?
- Are you of African, Hispanic, Aboriginal or Asian origin?
It's important to know that early chronic kidney disease has no sign or symptoms. You can help delay or prevent kidney failure by treating kidney disease early. We therefore encourage all of you who feel they may be at risk to go to their Healthcare Professional and ask to have a kidney function test. The early detection of failing kidney function is essential because it allows for the suitable treatment of the problem before irreversible kidney damage or deterioration occurs and leads to other health complications.
Prevention is better than cure
A healthy lifestyle is always the right choice, so if you already do all of the below, well done. If there are a few adjustments you need to make in order to improve your overall health then go for it, you can do it!
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Exercise regularly
- Don't smoke
- Follow the instructions on over-the-counter medications such as painkillers and don't take too many for a continued period of time as this can lead to kidney damage
- Manage your medical conditions with your doctor's help. If you have diseases or conditions that increase your risk of kidney disease, work with your doctor to control them. Ask your doctor about tests to look for signs of kidney damage.
Find out more about World Kidney Day and all you need to know about chronic kidney disease here: http://www.worldkidneyday.org/about/world-kidney-day/