Wellness Centers for Kidney Disease

Kidneys perform complex functions that keep the body balanced. They clean the blood to get rid of the waste by producing urine, they keep blood pressure at a normal level and they produce vitamin D, which keeps bones healthy. However, when kidneys become damaged, toxins accumulate in the body and can eventually lead to kidney failure. Wellness centers for kidney disease provide patients with information and treatment.

Symptoms

• Kidney disease symptoms are hard to spot and generally occur in the late stages of the disease. Engaging in a healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of disease. Kidney disease symptoms include poor appetite, poor sleeping, poor concentration, tiredness, swollen feet or ankles and dry skin. If you suspect that any of these symptoms may be related to kidney disease, ask your doctor or contact the nearest kidney disease wellness center for testing.

Causes

• Twenty-six million Americans suffer from kidney disease. Generally, people with diabetes, high blood pressure or a family history of kidney disease are more likely to suffer from any type of chronic disease, including kidney afflictions. Diabetes and high blood pressure are responsible for up to two-thirds of kidney disease cases. Other possible causes include repeated urinary infections, kidney stones, lupus and inherited diseases, such as polycystic kidney. Individuals with family histories of these illnesses or who already suffer from them should report to a kidney disease wellness center for testing and diagnosis.

Dialysis

• About 350,000 Americans are on dialysis, which performs the same functions as a healthy kidney. This treatment is for patients who have reached the final stage of kidney disease. Dialysis centers throughout the country can treat different kinds of kidney diseases through various methods. One method, called hemodialysis, consists of surgically strapping an artificial kidney to a blood vessel. Another method, called peritoneal dialysis, is performed within the body: Instead of inserting an artificial kidney, doctors perform dialysis inside the abdomen. Dialysis is generally performed at wellness centers.

Transplants

• As of 2010, more 70,000 Americans are awaiting kidney transplants. In a kidney transplant, a person suffering from kidney failure receives a new kidney from a living donor (often a friend or relative) or from an unrelated, deceased donor. A transplant always involves major surgery, and a transplant physician administers care before and after the transplant. The transplant surgeon performs the operation and a transplant coordinator has various responsibilities such as educating family members, answering the patient's questions and evaluating donors.

Hypertension Treatment

• Hypertension, also called high blood pressure, often can be treated simply by adopting a healthy lifestyle. In some cases, however, it is necessary to take medication. High blood pressure is a leading cause of kidney disease. Wellness centers usually provide medical treatment for patients suffering from hypertension and kidney disease and for those suffering only from hypertension. Wellness centers constantly seek to improve their treatment through laboratory research and clinical trials.