Living-with-Chronic-Kidney-Disease

Our kidneys play a vital role in maintaining our overall health and well-being. These bean-shaped organs, located on either side of the spine, are responsible for filtering waste and excess fluids from our blood, balancing electrolytes, and producing hormones that regulate blood pressure and red blood cell production.

However, when the kidneys are unable to perform these crucial functions adequately, it can lead to a condition known as kidney failure.

Let's learn more about the kidney's functions, dive deep into kidney failure, and list treatment options.

What does the Kidney do?

The kidney is responsible for performing several critical functions to maintain the body's internal blance. These include:

Controlling body fluid
Maintain normal blood biochemistry such as potassium, phosphate, and acid
Removing blood toxins
Producing hormones to maintain blood count and bone

What is Kidney Failure?

Kidney failure, also referred to as renal failure, occurs when the kidneys lose their ability to filter waste and excess fluids from the bloodstream effectively. This condition can develop gradually, over a period of time, or it can be acute, arising suddenly due to certain conditions or injuries.

Kidney failure can be classified into two main types: acute kidney failure and chronic kidney disease (CKD). In this article, we'll focus on the latter.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

Chronic kidney disease is a progressive condition where kidney function deteriorates over an extended period, usually months to years. CKD is often asymptomatic in its early stages, making regular check-ups and early detection crucial. As CKD advances, it can lead to kidney failure, necessitating treatments like dialysis or kidney transplantation.

How is Kidney Failure Diagnosed?

Doctors and clinician staff will need to extract and examine a small sample of kidney tissue to determine if one has kidney failure. This procedure is called kidney biopsy.

if your doctor has referred you for a kidney biopsy, click "Play" on the video below to find out what happens during the procedure:

How is Kidney Failure Treated?

There are 4 types treatments available and the appropriate one for you depends on the severity of the kidney failure as well as your doctor's advice. Here is a quick snapshot of what each treatment entails:

Peritoneal dialysis: This is a daily home-based therapy which uses the abdomen as a filter where patients or caregivers instill clean dialysis fluid into the patient's abdomen to receive the treatment
Hemodialysis: The process is similar to the former, but this involves on-site treatment at the dialysis centre at least 3 times a week. The patient's blood will be cleasned via a filter attached to the machine before being returned to the patient's body
Kidney Transplantation: This procedure replaces a damaged kidney with a healthy one through surgical transplantion. Once in place, the new kidney replaces the function of the old kidneys
Conservative Management: In the event that the patient is deemed unsuitable or unfit for any of the above treatment options, the doctor may advise conservative management which involves medication intake the alleviate the symptoms of CKD when they arise. The treatment aims to keep the patient as comfortable as possible

The prospect of undergoing any form of long-term treatment or major surgery could be difficult to comprehend. Nevertheless, speak to your doctor about treatment options and how you'd like to be supported.

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