(Symptoms of diabetic kidney disease)
Diabetes develops when the body is unable to make enough insulin or use it properly, a hormone that controls blood sugar levels. If you have diabetes, your blood sugar levels will be high, which gradually may cause damage to your kidneys. Let’s look at the causes and symptoms of diabetic kidney disease in this blog.
What is Diabetic Kidney Disease?
A common complication of diabetes is diabetic kidney disease, sometimes referred to as diabetic nephropathy Usually, your blood is cleaned by your kidneys. Diabetic nephropathy may hinder the ability of the kidneys to perform their normal function of removing waste products and extra fluid from your body.
Causes
Diabetes nephropathy affects about 40% of patients with diabetes. Millions of small blood vessel clusters in your kidneys filter waste from your blood. Diabetic nephropathy occurs when high blood sugar levels damage the small blood vessels in the kidneys, leading to reduced kidney function and eventually kidney failure.
Symptoms of Diabetic Kidney Disease:
In the early stages, diabetic kidney disease may not cause any symptoms. But, you may notice these symptoms as the condition progresses:
- Swelling of body, legs and hands
- Fatigue or weakness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Loss of appetite,
- Difficulty in sleeping
- Itching or dry skin
- Reduced urine output ,change in colour
How to diagnose diabetic kidney disease
If you have diabetes, you must visit your doctor on a regular schedule. If your doctor suspects diabetic nephropathy based on your symptoms, he may recommend you to take some tests to confirm it.
Urine test
Here a sample of your urine is screened to find the protein content. A notably higher protein-to-creatinine ratio in your urine sample may indicate a sign of diabetic nephropathy.
Blood test
Your kidneys’ ability to filter blood is determined by an eGFR test. In this test, Serum creatinine measurement is used to calculate your eGFR, your doctor utilises a formula, some of your general health data, and the Serum creatinine is used to find out eGFR.
Imaging tests
A noninvasive imaging test called an ultrasound can provide the structure and size of your kidneys. Computed tomography (CT) scans and Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests make your blood vessels and blood supply to kidneys more visible.
To conclude
If you are diagnosed with diabetic kidney disease, it’s quite natural to feel anxious. But, don’t worry with an early diagnosis and the best treatment plan you can overcome this stressful disease provided you must follow your doctor’s advice regularly.
