Chronic kidney disease – Diagnosis and treatment options
Chronic kidney disease is the gradual failure of kidney functions over a period of time. In the early stages, there are no symptoms, but as time passes a lot of abnormalities arise. Vomiting, loss of appetite, weakness, problems while urinating, muscle cramps, and sleep issues are some common signs of kidney disease. The treatment for chronic kidney disease focuses on slowing down the progression of the damage to the kidneys, usually by controlling the underlying cause. Chronic kidney disease may progress to end-stage kidney failure that can be fatal without dialysis (artificial filtering) or a kidney transplant. Diagnosis One of the first things that a doctor is going to do is ask the patient about their personal and family history as the first step toward the diagnosis of kidney disease . Urine tests – After the doctor has noted the medical history, urine tests may be suggested. By analyzing the urine sample of the patient, the different abnormalities found can help to identify the cause of chronic kidney disease and chronic kidney failure. Kidney biopsy – The doctor may also remove a small piece of the kidney tissue for kidney biopsy. It is generally done with the help of local anesthesia.