Kidney Failure: A Comprehensive Guide

Kidneys are a pair of organs which are located towards the lower back, one on each side of the spine. Their primary function is to filter blood and remove toxins from your body. After removing all the toxins, kidneys send these to the bladder, which your body later removes through urination.

The various functions performed by Kidneys in your body are as follows-

1. Maintains overall fluid balance in the body.

2. Filters minerals from the blood and helps regulate it.

3. Filters waste materials and toxic substances from the blood.

4. Creates hormones which aid in the production of red blood cells, regulate blood pressure and promote bone health.

Since kidneys perform such a crucial body function, that is why failure in their functioning, will result in your blood remaining unfiltered and may lead to severe ailments, and even death.

Your kidneys may suffer damage due to various other health issues that you may have. When partially damaged, your kidneys may not work as well as they should. However, if this damage continues, then your kidneys may stop working altogether. This is the last and the most severe stage, also called end-stage renal damage (ESRD). In this condition, both your kidneys fail to support your body with various functions.

The only way to survive after kidney failure is to either go for dialysis or a kidney transplant.

If you’re already suffering from kidney damage, then some of the signs to know that you might be nearing failure stage are as follows-

1. Itching

2. Nausea and vomiting

3. Not feeling hungry

4. Swelling in your feet and ankles

5. Too much urine (pee) or not enough urine

6. Trouble catching your breath

7. Muscle cramps

8. Trouble sleeping

However, if your kidneys fail suddenly (acute kidney failure), then some of the symptoms you may experience may include the following-

1. Abdominal (belly) pain

2. Diarrhoea

3. Fever

4. Vomiting

5. Nosebleeds

6. Rash

7. Back Pain

In case you find yourself or your loved ones suffering from any of these symptoms, you should immediately see a doctor.

In the case of kidney failure, there are only two treatments that can help an individual in sustaining. These include Dialysis and Kidney Transplant. There is no other cure for renal failure apart from these.

In most cases, the immediate treatment that most doctors resort to is the dialysis. The transplant is done once the donor (usually a family member) agrees to give his/her kidney to you or your suffering loved one, then you can go for the transplant.

In dialysis, a machine artificially does what your otherwise healthy kidneys should do, i.e. eliminate waste and unwanted substances from the blood. While standard dialysis usually involves three sessions a week, however, if your condition is severe, then dialysis sessions may be given for each day.

The life expectancy of a person on dialysis is usually about five years.

Kidney transplant is a surgical procedure in which healthy kidneys from either a living donor or a deceased one is placed in your body when the kidneys no longer function properly.

A person is expected to survive for a period of about 8 to 12 years if a deceased donor kidney is placed in the body. However, if a living donor kidney is transplanted, then life expectancy lies between 12 to 20 years.

Since both dialysis and kidney transplant are costly treatments, you’re sure to face a financial setback if you or anyone close in your family faces severe kidney failure. For that matter, any critical illness can leave a significant impact on your family, both emotionally and financially. At such a time, a critical illness insurance cover can prove to be of great support to you by providing you with financial payouts to meet the specialized treatment required.

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