Chronic Kidney Disease Treatment

Chronic kidney disease is an ailment that results in the gradual and generally permanent loss of one's kidney function with passing time. It can take months or years for this to happen. There are five stages of this disease, in increasing levels of severity. The Stage five of this disease is also called end-stage renal failure, because it correlates to complete or nearly complete loss of any kidney function and the patient can only survive through a kidney transplant or dialysis. Another term for kidney failure is renal failure, as the word 'renal' is related to the kidney.

There are many ways in which this disease is treated, both through medication as well as self-treatment at home by the patient. Self-treatment is not sufficient or advised if it is used on its own, but in combination with medical treatment it can help patients feel more comfortable while dealing with this disease. The main self-treatment is in the form of dietary rules that the patient needs to follow to try and slow down the progression of the disease and keep away some of the complications it can cause.

Some of the general dietary rules can help a great deal in decreasing the rate at which this disease progresses. A protein restriction can slow down the disease, and a dietician is needed to make sure how much protein you can healthily cut down on. Salt is also limited to four to six grams a day so that there is less fluid retention and this also helps with high blood pressure. Many people think that drinking more water will help with chronic kidney disease, but this proves to be a myth as many doctors will recommend less water intake. The amount of potassium ingested also needs to be reduced because kidneys cannot get rid of potassium, so food such as bananas, nuts, oranges and potatoes should be avoided. Along with this, not smoking and losing excess weight can be beneficial.

Medical treatment is highly specialized when it comes to this disease because there are many medicines that can be harmful to a pair of kidneys that are suffering from this disease. Some medicines that need to be avoided or used carefully are analgesics such as aspirin and NSAIDs such as ibuprofen. Antacids and laxatives with aluminum and magnesium like Mylanta or Milk of Magnesia need to be avoided, as does ulcer medication. Decongestants should also be used with caution, particularly if you suffer from high blood pressure.

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