Diabetes in itself is not deadly. The complications are what make this condition fatal. Among those complications is the damage it inflicts on the kidneys. Most of the people who have kidney disease are those that initially have diabetes. In this article, we will be discussing how diabetes really affects the kidneys and how it can be avoided or treated.
Blood Sugar and the Kidneys
One of the more odious effects of high blood sugar is the devastation it inflicts on your body’s blood vessels. This is particularly evident in the damage to the capillaries, the smallest of the blood vessels.
Like all organs in the body, the kidneys also have capillaries in them. When these get damaged, the normal functions of the kidney are disrupted, thus your body will retain more water and salt than what it normally should. This results to weight gain and ankle swelling. Also, waste materials will begin building up in your blood.
As your blood sugar level continues increasing unchecked, the continuous damage inflicted on your kidneys will seriously damage your kidneys’ filtering system. Prolonged damage will always lead to kidney disease, which can become kidney failure later on. At this point, you kidney transplant will be the option remaining to you.
Other than the damage to capillaries, high blood sugar can also cause harm to your nerves. Connected to the damage in your nerves is the disruption in your normal bladder functions. This can mean difficulties in emptying your bladder. The pressure from a full bladder that couldn’t be relieved because of nerve damage can really harm your kidneys. Your urinary tract can also develop an infection from the growth of bacteria in urine that has an abnormal level of sugar.
Signs of Kidney Disease
Usually, the symptoms of kidney disease are not as visible without tests being done. The most visible signs of kidney damage only manifest when it is already severe. This is why it is important, if you are diabetic, to have your urine tested for protein every year. Also, you can have a blood test to see how well your kidneys are functioning.
The damage to your kidneys is already extensive if you start experiencing the following symptoms:
- Frequent urination
- Swelling of feet, ankles, hands, or eyes
- Difficulty concentrating
- Shortness of breath
- Loss of appetite
- Overfatigue
- Nausea and vomiting
- Persistent itching
If you notice any of the signs above, it would be prudent to consult your doctor, especially if you’re already diabetic.
Take care of your blood sugar too
Kidney wellness wouldn’t be complete if you would neglect your blood sugar level. An uncontrolled rise in blood glucose can really impact your kidneys as we have discussed above. Other than taking kidney wellness supplements, you can also opt to lower your blood sugar naturally by taking herbal supplements for blood sugar support.
Once you manage to control your blood sugar level and also take an herbal supplement for the kidneys, your risk of having kidney disease would lower considerably.
