Polycystic Kidney Disease
And What You Need To Know By: Hunter Williams Burrows
Urinary System
To understand Polycystic Kidney Disease one must understand the basic function of the Urinary System. The function of this system is to produce urine and secrete it out of the body. It does this by cleaning and draining the blood.
Organs And Glands:
- Kidneys (Lower Torso)
- Penis (Male only) (Lower Torso)
- Prostate Gland (Male Only) (Lower Torso)
- Ureter (Lower Torso)
- Urethra (Lower Torso)
- Urinary Bladder (Lower Torso)
- Vagina (Female Only) (Lower Torso)
Symptoms Of Polycystic Kidney Disease
- High blood pressure
- Back or side pain
- Headache
- Increase in the size of your abdomen
- Blood in your urine
- Frequent urination
- Kidney stones
- Kidney failure
- Urinary tract or kidney infections
Causes Of Polycystic kidney disease
Polycystic kidney disease is caused by a genetic defect in one or both of the parents. However, there are two different types of Polycystic kidney disease:
- Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) - More common between the age of 30 to 40. Sometimes referred to as the adult Polycystic kidney disease. Only one Parent needs to have this, and there's a 50% chance of passing it down to their children
- Autosomal Recessive Polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD) - More often seen after childbirth or early childhood. Sometimes shows symptoms in adolescence. Both Parents have this, there's a 25% chance of passing it on to their children.
Medical Remedies and Treatment
Polycystic kidney disease comes with many different factors. Not only does one have to deal with cysts on their kidneys, but also:
- High Blood Pressure - Medication called angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is commonly used to treat High Blood Pressure that has resulted from Polycystic kidney disease.
- Lower Back Pain - This pain can range from mild to severe, and numerous over-the-counter drugs can be used to treat this. If the pain is too severe, surgery may be needed to remove the cyst if they're too large.
- Complications of Cyst - Rare, but if the cyst causes severe pain, obstructs or damages other organs, or is infected, it may need to be removed before any course of action.
- Kidney Infections - treated with antibiotics
- Kidney Failure - If one's kidneys fail to do their job, a kidney transplant or a dialysis may be needed.
Prevention
Since this disease is mainly genetic, there is not much one can do to prevent it. However, if you do have it, you would want to take the necessary steps to control the complications of it:
For High Blood Pressure:
- Take the blood pressure medications prescribed by your doctor as directed.
- Eat a low-salt diet containing plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
- Maintain a healthy weight. If you smoke, stop ASAP
- Exercise regularly. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week.