Many of us are quite familiar with the age-old saying – prevention is better than cure, which has been proven right. The onus here falls on the fact that you do not have to wait till you fall ill and are forced to take drastic measures. Instead, you can start taking measures that would help you maintain a healthy body.
Our organs function in unison with one another to help us lead a healthy and normal life. But, what happens when they stop functioning? You are diagnosed with a serious disorder and you walk on thin ice when you acting as per your doctor’s instructions.
Kidney disorders are something that plagues a majority of the population. Contrary to popular belief that you can only undergo treatment for kidney disorders and cannot prevent it, there are some popular preventive measures which would hold your kidney disorders at bay.
Here are some preventive measures that would help prevent kidney disorders in the long run.
- Go easy on salt- Salt is known to be the cause of a variety of ailments, kidney disorders being one of them. The sodium built-up in your body would result in water retention, which in turn would cause swelling and breathlessness. It would place more pressure on the kidneys to perform their functions.
- Reduce sugar in your diet- Sugar is harmful to your kidneys. An increased intake of sugar can lead to obesity and diabetes, both of which contribute greatly to the development of chronic kidney disorder. So, make sure your food remains free from sugar.
- Exercise- Exercising regularly has helped people fight a lot of ailments in the past. It helps you lose extra pounds and would help keep your blood pressure under check. This would ensure that your kidneys remain healthy.
- Quit smoking- Smoking is injurious for your lungs and it doesn’t stop here. It affects your heart and can make you more prone to heart strokes. Under such circumstances, your kidneys would be subjected to a lot of pressure to perform its normal functions. This can result in grave kidney disorders.
- Limit your alcohol- Alcohol is known to raise your blood pressure and in addition to being fatal to your liver, alcohol hurts your kidneys as well. A high blood pressure is known to increase your risk of a chronic kidney disorder.
These are some of the preventive measures one can adopt to man the boundaries of your body from an onslaught of kidney disorders. However, in spite of your best efforts, if you become subject to any kind of kidney disorder, a visit to the doctor would be the most viable option.
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Understanding the signs and treatments for kidney cysts
Read moreKidney cysts are fluid-filled sacs situated inside your kidneys. A patient can have one or multiple of these pouches in both the kidneys. Typically these can occur in two forms, i.e., simple cysts and polycystic kidney disease. The former is harmless and doesn’t negatively influence the function of the kidneys. You might not even realize their presence as they don’t project any symptoms. In fact, they are often identified during an imaging test implemented for another medical problem.
On the other hand, polycystic kidney disorder is an inherited disease that can cause significant damage to the kidney as the cysts develop. Therefore it is essential to receive proper kidney cyst treatments.
Signs of kidney cysts
As mentioned earlier for a simple kidney cyst there might not be any obvious symptoms until the sac grows big or gets infected. Then it may exhibit the following signs- Frequent urination
- Blood in the urine
- Dark urine
- Inflammation and discomfort the upper abdomen
- Pain the back or between the pelvic area and ribs
- Fever
Similarly, polycystic kidney disease may cause additional symptoms like
- Urinary tract infection
- Kidney stones
- Severe pain in the back
- Pale skin and increased vulnerability to bruising
- Tiredness
- Discomfort in the joints
- High blood pressure
- Abnormalities in the nails
Kidney cyst treatments
A specialist known as a urologist can help you diagnose this condition with the help of blood and urine tests to determine your kidney’s functional capabilities. Along with these, the doctor might also recommend CT scans, MRI or ultrasound to observe the growth of the cysts. If the results project tiny sacs, then you may not need any form of major kidney cysts treatments. However, you will need to keep an eye on the condition by getting a diagnosis on an annual basis.For cysts that are bigger, you will need to opt for kidney cyst treatments such as sclerotherapy or surgery.
- Sclerotherapy This treatment drains the fluid-filled sacs. The doctor will use a local anesthetic to numb you and then use an ultrasound to direct a thin needle in your cyst through the skin. At times the doctors will fill the cyst with an alcoholic solution to stop it from developing again.
- Surgery If the cyst happens to be bigger in size then you may need surgery to remove it. This type of cyst is eliminated using a camera and tiny surgical instruments. The specialist will begin by draining the cysts, and then they’ll cut or burn its walls.
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Bladder control – Foods to avoid and medication
Read moreNutrition plays an essential role in overall health and helps in reducing symptoms associated with overactive bladder. Statistics suggest that more than 30% of women in the country have bladder control issues. While there are medications that can help manage the condition, changes in your food regime can help prevent the condition as well. Read on to know more about the foods to avoid and the medication options to manage bladder control issues.
Foods to avoid
Caffeine
Caffeine products such as coffee, tea, energy drinks, and carbonated drinks are some of the primary triggers that can be counterproductive for bladder control. This is because they have a diuretic effect, which means they worsen bladder control by promoting frequent urination.Alcohol
Like caffeine, alcohol is also believed to have a diuretic effect as well, aggravating bladder control issues. It increases the pressure in the detrusor muscles, reducing the control over natural signals indicating the brain to empty the bladder. So, an occasional indulgence in wine or beer may not harm, but binging on hard liquor can affect bladder control.
Spicy foods
Bladder-related issues such as bladder leakage are typically seen more in women. Bladder leakage can also be greatly affected by spicy foods that contain chili powder, peppers, horseradish, and other pungent spices. They worsen bladder control by irritating the inner lining of the bladder and increasing the urge to urinate. Moreover, consuming spicy foods also increase the tendency to drink more water, further worsening urinary incontinence.Artificial sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners can also worsen bladder control as they contain compounds that can make the bladder muscles hyperactive. This increases the risk of suffering from urinary tract infections, especially in women due to frequent urination. This can make urinary incontinence difficult to control.Medications
These food regime changes can help manage bladder control. But, if the condition worsens, there are medications that can provide relief from bladder control issues. Medications like Myrbetriq® provide relief from an overactive bladder by smoothening the bladder muscles, helping it fill more frequently, and increasing urine storage. The tablet comes in two dosages of 25mg and 50mg. The dosage is decided based on the severity of urinary incontinence. Vibegron is another medication used for managing bladder control. It belongs to the beta-3 adrenergic agonists class that prevents contraction of muscles, preventing uncontrolled urination.