Mental Health Matters: The Surprising Connection to Kidney Failure

Kidney failure is a physical disease, but mental diseases like anxiety and depression also affect the kidneys very seriously. If it is not treated on time, the patient suffers a lot of damage. Stress, anxiety, and depression are harmful to the kidneys.

If any problem or disease starts in the kidney, some symptoms are seen. But these symptoms also match those of other diseases. Due to this, people tend to ignore it and serious kidney disease occurs. So the disease comes to the last stage which most people do not understand.

Symptoms of Kidney damage

• Excessive thirst and loss of appetite.
• Such as vomiting and nausea.
• Swelling of the face, hands, and feet.
• Feel tired and weak.
• Constant swelling under the eyes.
• Blood in the urine. Urine foamier. Pain while passing urine. Frequent urination at night.
• High blood pressure at a young age.
• Pain in the back. Body breakdown. Itched. Symptoms like leg pain etc. are seen in patients.

Symptoms of Kidney damage in children

Symptoms of kidney failure in children include stunted growth, short stature, and twisting of long bones.

Causes of failure

• Diabetes and high blood pressure.
• Diseases like dengue and malaria.
• Stones and prostate enlargement.
• Deficiency of water in the body.
• Excessive diarrhea and vomiting.
• Frequent urinary infections.
• Constant weight gain.
• Side effects of medicines.

What function do kidneys have for our body?

• It works to excrete uric acid through the urine.
• Works to control blood pressure.
• Maintains water balance in the body.
• Removes contaminants from the blood.
• Maintains calcium and vitamin D levels.

Which patients are at the greatest risk of damage?

• The risk of kidney disease is highest in patients with high blood pressure and diabetes.
• It is considered the biggest enemy of the kidneys. Due to the urban lifestyle, the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes has greatly increased. These diseases also gradually damage.
• The nervous system instructs the adrenal gland to release adrenaline and cortisol, and this hormone causes the heart rate to increase. BP increases. The readings are affected and the glucose level in the bloodstream also rises rapidly.
• For this reason, patients with diabetes and high blood pressure should have regular kidney check-ups.

Take care of the following to prevent disease

• Exercise should be done regularly to prevent. At least 45 minutes of exercise helps maintain normal blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Apart from this, the risk of diabetes and blood pressure also decreases.
• Nutritious diet Food should be nutritious and the use of substances like salt, sugar, ghee, and oil i.e. fatty foods and fast food should be reduced. At most, five to six grams of salt should be consumed daily. Reducing the amount of salt in the diet after age 40 can reduce blood pressure and the risk of developing stones. A balanced diet means eating more vegetables, fruits, and fiber. Weight can be maintained through a balanced diet and kidney problems along with diabetes dialysis also be prevented.
• 50% of diabetic patients are at risk of kidney damage, so every diabetic patient should get a kidney checkup done once a year. Apart from this, urine tests should also be done regularly.
• Diabetes and high blood pressure are important causes of chronic failure. Therefore, blood pressure, protein in the urine, and creatinine in the blood should be checked regularly.
• Drink 10 to 12 glasses of water daily. Adequate fluid intake removes unnecessary waste and salts from the body. A person suffering from stones should drink at least three liters of water every day.
• Stay away from addiction. Smoking narrows the blood vessels and not enough blood reaches the kidneys, which has a very adverse effect on the functioning of the kidneys. Due to that reason, diseases related to kidneys arise. Therefore, smoking, tobacco, gutka, alcohol, etc. should be avoided.
• With age, there are constant joint or other pains in the body. When people take pain medicine without a doctor’s advice, it affects the kidneys in the long run. This is why it is very important to consult a doctor for any kind of pain medication. Taking proper medicine as per the doctor’s advice is for the safety.

Kidney transplant

Nowadays cases of kidney transplants have increased. The reason for this is that people do not understand disease early so the matter reaches the transplant and secondly the number of donors for transplant is much less. One in 10 people in the world suffers from kidney disease. That is why a timely diagnosis is necessary.
Nowadays, cases of serious diseases are increasing even among people under the age of thirty years. The main reason for this is an increase in blood pressure and a decrease in physical activity.

What things should be taken care of after a kidney transplant so that we can stay healthy?

• Consume low-salt foods in the diet and include vegetables and fruits in the diet.
• Take eye seeds and drink 8 to 10 glasses of water daily. Avoid eating fish, dairy products, and chicken. Do not eat unwashed vegetables and fruits.
• Exercise is essential after the transplant, keeping weight under control and doing regular exercise, avoiding exercises that cause excessive fatigue. You can do aerobic exercise, 30 minutes of walking, cycling, or swimming every day. Do not stop taking medicines. After the transplant, the patient’s body is given medication so that they do not reject the kidney, which should never be stopped. Take all the medicines on time as prescribed by the doctor, otherwise, the result is at risk.
• As the immunity of the patient decreases during the transplant, the risk of infection increases in the patient. Hence it is advised that the patient should drink boiled or filtered water. Wearing a mask for six months. Avoid going to crowded areas.
• In order to prevent urinary tract infection, it is advised not to have sex for three months and to avoid contact with an infected person.
• After the transplant, using a Western toilet instead of an Indian toilet does not put pressure on the kidney.
• Avoid driving as kicking creates pressure. Due to this, it affects the kidneys Avoid doing any tiring activity for 2 to 3 months.

Conclusion

Due to a lack of regular checkups, the treatment of kidney disease is considered only when it is in the last stage, in which case kidney transplant and dialysis are the only two options left.
After 35-40 years even if there is no problem do a checkup once every year because of diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney diseases, etc. can be diagnosed early at the stage when there are no symptoms. Thus, if this type of disease is treated quickly, the chances of future kidney damage can be definitely prevented or reduced.