Mild Renal Disease

Mild renal disease, also known as renal insufficiency and chronic renal failure, occurs when the kidneys have trouble functioning because of disease. Mild renal disease begins a gradual decline in the kidney's ability to function and maintain health throughout the body.

Causes

• The loss of kidney function progresses slowly as disease or injury to the kidneys deteriorates kidney tissues destroying their filtering capabilities. The most common cause of renal disease is diabetes and high blood pressure. Other causes may include kidney stones and infection.

Symptoms

• Mild renal disease may show no symptoms at all. As the disease progresses, you may experience symptoms of fatigue, weakness, headache, weight loss and a general feeling of being unwell. Other symptoms may include dark urine, excessive thirst, frequent nighttime urination, paleness and abnormalities in your nails.

Diagnosis

• A blood test will show slightly elevated levels of creatinine. An urinalysis will show protein or other abnormalities in the urine. An ultrasound or CT scan of the abdomen may show signs of shrunken kidneys, which would confirm renal disease. A biopsy may be performed to see what type of disease is affecting the kidneys.

Treatment

• Treatment for mild renal disease is to slow progression and treat symptoms. Dietary changes to exclude or limit protein, sodium, potassium and fluid intake can help decrease complications from renal disease and may be recommended by your doctor. High blood pressure medication may be prescribed. Controlling your diabetes will help slow progression of renal disease. Other measures to help slow renal failure are to stop smoking and lose weight if you are overweight.

Medications

• Certain medications can hurt already damaged kidneys. Aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs can irritate kidneys. Laxatives or antacids containing magnesium or aluminum found in Mylanta can also cause renal failure to progress more rapidly. Alka-Seltzer should be avoided because of the sodium content along with decongestants, such as Sudafed, because of high blood pressure risks.

Dialysis

• Mild renal disease may take years to develop into kidney failure, but treatment is available when it occurs. Kidney dialysis is a treatment in which your blood is run through a filter that removes toxins and then is replaced back inside your body. The number treatments you will require weekly will depend on how severe the damage is to your kidneys. You may still pass urine, but toxins are no longer able to be excreted from your body through your urine.