[World Kidney Day] How long has it been since your kidneys were healthy?

March 14 is the 19th World Kidney Day, with the theme: Kidney health for all - promoting equitable access to medical services and best medication practices .

Currently, chronic kidney disease ranks 11th in the global mortality rate, and its disability and mortality rates are the highest among all chronic diseases. In stark contrast, the awareness rate of chronic kidney disease is very low.

From adjusting daily dietary nutrition to monitoring indicators such as blood pressure and blood sugar, from regular follow-up and re-examination to strictly following the doctor's orders for medication, the treatment of chronic kidney disease requires patients to have a good understanding of the disease and self-management ability.

Mr. Wang is an "old diabetic". Thanks to his cautious treatment concept and active understanding of the disease, after he felt abnormal fatigue, he immediately went to the hospital for relevant examinations and found that his urine microalbumin index was abnormal, indicating that he had developed early diabetic nephropathy.

The onset of diabetic nephropathy is insidious. In the early stages of diabetic nephropathy, routine urine protein tests may be negative, but at this time the urine microalbumin has begun to increase. By the time symptoms appear and the patient seeks medical attention, the disease may have entered the second or even third stage of diabetic nephropathy.

Fortunately, due to sufficient vigilance, Mr. Wang's diabetic nephropathy was discovered in the early stages and was effectively controlled under the careful guidance of the doctor, avoiding more serious complications.

In daily life, people often talk about "poor kidneys". For example, if you have hair loss, back pain, leg cramps, etc., you will wonder if you have poor kidneys. So, do these symptoms really mean that there is something wrong with the kidneys?

Doctors remind us that the warning signs of kidney unhealthiness mainly include the following:

Edema : Body edema is one of the common symptoms of kidney disease. The edema of different patients may be mild or severe. Mild cases may have swelling of the cheeks and eyes in the morning, while severe cases may have swelling all over the body.

Hematuria, proteinuria (foamy urine) : Hematuria can be divided into macroscopic hematuria and microscopic hematuria. Patients often have increased foam in their urine, mainly small foam, which can not be dispersed for a long time, indicating that the patient has protein in his urine.

Hypertension : Hypertension can cause kidney damage and lead to hypertensive nephropathy, which is damage to kidney structure and function caused by primary hypertension; hypertension is also a common manifestation of kidney disease.

Increased blood creatinine : Blood creatinine is an indicator for testing kidney function. Its increase means that the kidneys have been severely damaged.

Loss of appetite : If you suffer from kidney disease, toxins in the body cannot be excreted smoothly, which can also cause loss of appetite.

Anemia : Renal anemia refers to anemia caused by various factors that result in insufficient production of erythropoietin by the kidneys or some toxic substances in uremic plasma interfering with the production and metabolism of red blood cells.

Warm reminder: If there is a problem with the kidneys, the above symptoms may appear. If the symptoms are obvious, it is recommended to go to the hospital for diagnosis as soon as possible to avoid more serious health problems.

1. High-salt diet

Water and sodium retention and high blood pressure caused by a high-salt diet can cause the glomeruli to be in a state of "three highs" (high pressure, high perfusion and high filtration), thereby increasing the burden on the kidneys.

2. Drug abuse

Drugs are excreted through the kidneys. Using too many types of drugs or taking too large a dose will damage the kidneys and lead to renal dysfunction.

3. Overeating

Overeating will increase the burden on the kidneys and cause obesity. Obese patients are at high risk of diabetes, and about 40% of them suffer from diabetic nephropathy.

4. Not controlling underlying diseases

Underlying diseases such as hypertension and diabetes can lead to hypertensive kidney damage and diabetic nephropathy. Benign hypertensive nephrosclerosis is caused by the long-term effects of hypertension on the kidneys, while malignant hypertensive nephrosclerosis refers to kidney damage caused by the development of malignant hypertension on the basis of primary hypertension.

1. Live a healthy lifestyle, quit smoking, limit alcohol, and exercise moderately. 2. Maintain healthy water absorption in the body and drink water scientifically. 3. Control blood sugar: About half of diabetic patients have kidney damage. 4. Control blood pressure: High blood pressure can lead to many diseases and is also one of the most common causes of kidney damage. 5. Eat a healthy diet and maintain weight. 6. Do not abuse drugs: Long-term use of some drugs can cause kidney damage and kidney disease. Be sure to go to the hospital for a kidney function test on schedule during the medication stage.