What is a Kidney?
Before learning about the disease itself, it is essential to know about kidneys first. Kidneys are the bean-shaped organs located under your rib cage, about the size of your fist. Its main purpose is to sort through your blood and remove any unneeded waste or extra water (The water is then turned into urine and transported into the bladder. ). The blood is filtered using millions of tiny blood vessels in the kidney called nephrons.
What is Kidney Disease?
Although there are multiple forms and types of kidney diseases, most of them target the nephrons that make up and carry out the operations of the kidney. If the nephrons are not able to work properly, then waste cannot be removed from the body and will remain in the body's systems. Generally the symptoms of kidney disease do not show up until the kidney is almost unable to operate at all. The symptoms, however, include sleeplessness, dizziness, stomach pains, weakness, and a poor appetite. This disease can be treated through the control of your glucose and blood pressure levels, drugs, and/or a low-protein diet. If the disease completely overtakes the kidney, a kidney transplant or dialysis should go underway.
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What About Me?
Diabetics have a higher chance of obtaining kidney disease due to their high blood pressure causing the kidneys to filter too much blood. When this happens, useful protein is lost as it is filtered out with waste when it is supposed to stay inside the body.
Additional Information
To learn more about kidney disease and diabetes click here.