Warning people of not ignoring early signs of kidney problems, Dr Nitin Kumar, Consultant Nephrology, Manipal Hospitals, Patiala, was in Chandigarh to highlight the harm it can cause to other organs including the heart, on World Kidney Day.
“In Patiala, on an average, 2,500 dialysis takes place in a month, big hospitals do 1,000, and small hospitals undertake 200-300 dialysis each month. In big cities like Chandigarh, 7,000-10,000 dialysis take place in a month,” he says.
The younger generation indulges more in fast food and junk food which has high salt content. These salts and sauces found in street food increase the risk of developing diabetes and hypertension in the future, Dr Nitin Kumar says.
Earlier, only old people used to complain of these complications but lately, adults as young as 40- year-olds are being diagnosed with kidney problems.
Kidney transplant
“We at Manipal Hospitals, Patiala, do 20-25 transplants in a month. Recently, we performed a successful surgery where the wife was the donor. The creatinine levels of the patient reached 1.2, and no dialysis was needed after that. We want to expand our services to all people who might need a transplant with their family members. If not, they can also opt for cadaver registration to get a non-living person’s kidney transplanted,” says Dr Nitin.
To prevent the onset of critical disease and keep the kidneys and the entire body healthy, Dr Nitin mentions some of the initial symptoms of kidney disorder. These include:
Excessive hunger
Shortness of breath
Swelling in feet and face
Frothy urine
Blood in urine
Pain during stools
Uncontrolled levels of diabetes and blood pressure
Recommended measures to keep kidneys healthy
Lifestyle plays a major role in reducing the risk to kidneys. One must keep their activity levels high. Dr Nitin recommends doing a brisk walk daily for at least 5 days a week.
Keep a non-sedentary lifestyle and as far as possible, eat healthy, organic food which is free from pesticides.
Reduce the consumption of excess oil, fatty food, and sweets
Problems like kidney stones are generally ignored by the majority of the population which later becomes worse. Therefore, do not take kidney stones lightly and consult a doctor immediately if detected.
To prevent kidney complications, one must:
Get regular routine health check-ups, especially after the age of 40 years
Diabetes and hypertension must always be managed
If one or any of the symptoms pops up, go to a general physician or a kidney specialist immediately
Don’t delay treatment if you have any other disease
