Better kidney health for kids: Seven golden rules

Kidney disease is one of the most common among adults, and many habits adapted by kids over the years can set the stage for kidney disease. Therefore, you can help your kid(s) protect their kidney from an early age. Here are some of the golden rules to follow to ensure kidney healthy for kids in future.

Activities are important: Regular exercise and engaging your kids in some kind of physical activities can help your kid feel better, and improve and maintain their health. In turn, it keeps your kid’s body healthy, including their bones, muscles, heart and kidneys.

Reduce sugar: Too much intake of sugar can raise the risk of diabetes as kids get older. High blood sugar can also put a strain on the kidneys. Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure in adults. One of the ways to lower sugary intake is cutting back on sugary drinks, such as sodas, juices and sports drinks.

Serve water: Serving water instead of sugary drinks is a good way to cut down on sugar. Water is important for good kidney health and helps the kidneys remove wastes from the blood in the form of urine. Having enough water to prevent dehydration is important, especially for kids. Mild dehydration can make kids feel tired. Further, it can impair normal bodily functions, and very severe dehydration can lead to kidney damage.

Reduce salt: As we are aware, sodium is needed for the body to function, but anything too much can be harmful. Sodium can make the body hold on to more water. This extra stored water can raise the blood pressure and strain different parts of the body, including blood vessels and kidneys. High blood pressure can damage kidneys as they get older. High blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure in adults. So, keep a check of the sodium intake in kids.

Get regular checkups: Make sure you get regular checkups for your kid. By doing a thorough check up your kid can be detected if they are experiencing any unusual symptoms, such as feeling tired, difficulty in sleeping, trouble concentrating, poor appetite, issues with urinating, swollen feet and ankles, etc. Usually, urine and blood tests can be used to check how well their kidneys are working.

At NU Hospitals, known to be one of the finest kidney care hospitals in Bangalore, will diagnose and evaluate your kid just the right way. Backed by some of the best kidney specialists in Bangalore along with state-of-the-art facilities, you need not worry about a thing.

Kidney Stones: Not Just an Adult Problem

It’s not wrong of you to typically think to relate kidney stones to older people. But the reality is that while they are common in adults, there has been a significant increase in kidney stones occurring in children over the last 10 years.

What’s the reason behind kids getting kidney stones?

So you’re probably wondering why there are so many children with kidney stones. Even if there is no specific answer, but we can predict that it’s related to the following risk factors:

• Not drinking enough water.
• Consuming excessive salt.
• Lack of exercise.

The symptoms can vary. Some really young children, even premature babies have really small kidney stones and are entirely unaware of their existence. Younger kids may face problems to describe the pain and may just complain of a belly ache. Adolescents and teens may complain of intense back pain with nausea and vomiting. Sometimes there’s the presence of blood in the urine, but it’s always suggested to consult a doctor in order to detect the symptoms.

So as parents, how can you help prevent kidney stones?

There are three measures parents can take to prevent kidney stones.

• Make sure the children are drinking enough water.
• limiting the amount of sodium, maintaining an active lifestyle.
• Water intake is a little more specific to your child’s age.

The occurrence of kidney stones is not a new problem but what is a more recent phenomenon is the growing epidemic of kidney stones in kids and teens nationally. As kidney stones are likely to reappear after their first occurrence, it’s extremely important for your child to be seen by a nephrologist. At NU Hospitals, your child will be given a specialized dney stone treatment kiplan. Our team will figure out the root cause and suggest certain preventive measures accordingly.

Myths about Prostate Cancer all Men should know

Myth: Only older men get prostate cancer:

It’s true that your risk of prostate cancer increases as you get older, it’s also true most men are diagnosed after 65 years old.

Some of the symptoms of prostate cancer are:

• You’ve difficulty urinating
• Blood drops in your urine
• Impotency
• Body aches
• Loss of appetite

Myth: No prostate cancer symptoms means no cancer:

Not necessarily when it comes to your prostate, a small, walnut-shaped gland whose job is to produce fluid that nourishes sperms. No symptoms may just mean the cancer is in its early stages. Signs of prostate cancer usually arise after it progresses, including problems in urinating, such as slow and weak flow, blood drops in the urine, pain in the pelvic area. Of course, these symptoms may also be caused by a list of other things that don’t include cancer.

Myth: No one in my family has prostate cancer, so I’m safe:

It’s likely that your genes will play a role. If your father has prostate cancer, you’re twice as likely to develop it, your brother, three times as likely. In that case, discuss possible screening tests with the urologist.

Myth: A high PSA score means prostate cancer:

Some prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in your blood is normal. High levels, however, or inflammation in your prostate, the gland may get enlarged, or it may (possibly) indicate cancer.

Myth: Prostate cancer isn’t that serious:

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men, after lung cancer. It’s usually slow-growing cancer that at least at first, stays confined to the gland. For men diagnosed with very early-stage prostate cancer, treatment may not be necessary right away, or at all, depending on the type of cancer. Instead, you may be asked to be under supervision for several years.

At NU Hospitals, you’ll be treated by some of the best urologist specialists in Bangalore.

Nephrotic Syndrome in Adults

Nephrotic syndrome is a kidney disorder that causes your body to excrete too much protein in your urine.

Nephrotic syndrome is usually caused by damage to the clusters of small blood vessels in your kidneys that filter waste and excess water from your blood. Nephrotic syndrome causes swelling, especially in your feet and ankles, and increases the risk of other health problems. Nephrotic syndrome can increase your risk of infections and blood clots.

Some of the signs and symptoms of nephrotic syndrome are:

• Severe swelling, particularly around your eyes and in your ankles and feet.
• Weight gain due to excess fluid retention.
• Fatigue.
• Loss of appetite.

Factors that increase your risk of nephrotic syndrome include:

• Certain diseases and conditions increase your risk of developing nephrotic syndromes, such as diabetes, lupus and other kidney diseases.
• Certain medications that can cause nephrotic syndrome include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and drugs used to fight infections.
• Some of the infections that increase the risk of nephrotic syndrome include HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and malaria.

Complications

Possible complications of nephrotic syndrome include:

• Blood clots.
• High blood cholesterol and elevated blood triglycerides.
• Poor nutrition.
• High blood pressure.
• Acute kidney failure.
• Chronic kidney disease.
• Infections.

Nephrotic syndromes need immediate attention and if you’re one of those who’s been getting affected by the same, consult at NU Hospitals as it’s known to be one of the best nephrology hospitals in Bangalore.

Kidney Transplantation: Everything you need to know

When your kidneys fail, treatment is needed to replace the functionalities of your own kidneys. There are two types of treatment for kidney failure- dialysis or transplant. It’s said that a kidney transplant offers more freedom and a better quality of life that dialysis. With well-equipped technologies and erudite surgeons, one can consider NU Hospitals for it serves as one of the best kidney transplant hospitals in Bangalore.

What is a kidney transplant?

At the time of a kidney transplant, a healthy kidney is placed inside your body to do the work your own kidneys can no longer do.

On the other side, there are a certain restrictions that one must follow. A successful kidney transplant may allow you to live the kind of life you were living earlier. Many people might need more than one kidney transplant during a lifetime.

What is a pre-emptive or early transplant?

Getting a transplant before you need to start dialysis is called a pre-emptive transplant. It allows you to avoid dialysis together. Getting a transplant done not long after kidneys fail is referred to as an early transplant. Both have their own set of benefits. Pre-emptive or early transplant, with little or no time spent on dialysis, can lead to better long-term health.

Who can get a kidney transplant?

Kidney transplants have no age bars. It can be done on patients of all ages- from children to seniors. You just need to be healthy enough to undergo the operation. Every person being considered for transplant will get a full medical and psychological evaluation just to be sure that you fit as a good candidate for transplant.

What does the operation involve?

You may be surprised to know that your own kidney usually aren’t taken out when you get a transplant. The surgeon leaves them where they are unless there is a medical reason to remove them. The donated kidney is then placed into your lower abdomen. The entire procedure takes up to four hours. If the kidney comes from a living donor, it should start working immediately whereas a kidney taken from a deceased donor can take longer to start working-two or four weeks or more. If that happens, you may need dialysis until the kidney begins to work again.

At NU Hospitals, you’ll be offered with one of the best set of kidney transplant doctors in Bangalore.

An overview of Hypospadias : Causes, Types, Surgery

Hypospadias :

If your baby boy is born with a dysfunctional penis or it doesn’t function the way it’s supposed to, you want to know whether he can be treated right away. And that’s understandable. Boys with Hypospadias are born with the location of the opening ranging anywhere within the head or shaft of penis, the scrotum, or perineum.

Hypospadias is pretty common and can be left as it is but surgeons can do surgery to fix the problem when required.

What causes Hypospadias?

As with many other birth defects, this is also one of them.

Some of the reasons could be:

• Genetics: It’s also associated with some genetic syndromes. If the boy has a father or brother were born with it, you’re also likely to get the same.
• Fertility treatments: Some kind of hormone therapy or medicine during fertility treatment can lead to this.
• Exposure to smoking and pesticides.
• Premature.

Types of Hypospadias:

There are nearly three kinds, depending on where the urethra opening is located:

• Near the head of the penis (subcoronal).
• Along the shaft of the penis (midshaft).
• Where the penis and scrotum meet, or on the scrotum (penescrotal).

How does the surgery work for Hypospadias?

If the location of the opening is near the tip, the penis often works well enough. But many cases of hypospadias call for surgery to move the urethra and opening. This procedure often includes straightening the penis. The motive behind this surgical correction is to create a penis that functions normally. Surgical correction should also result in a properly directed urinary stream and a straightened penis upon erection. Children who get this surgery are usually between 3 months and 18 months old. The child is anesthetized during the surgery.

Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and some of the best paediatric urologists, NU Hospitals offers the best urology treatment in Bangalore.

Few things one should know about Polycystic Kidney Disease

Polycystic kidney disease, also known as PKD, is an inherited kidney disorder. It causes fluid-filled cysts to form in the kidneys. PKD may impair kidney function and eventually lead to kidney failure.

What are the symptoms of PKD?

Many people live with PKD for years without experiencing symptoms related to this disease. Cysts usually grow 0.5 inches or larger before a person starts to notice certain symptoms and that include:

• Presence of blood in the urine.
• Pain in the abdomen.
• Frequent urination.
• Urinary tract infection (UTI).
• Kidney stones.
• Fatigue.
• Joint pain.

Types of PKD:

Polycystic Kidney Disease is usually inherited. There are three types of PKD:

Autosomal dominant PKD:

Autosomal dominant is sometimes called adult PKD. Symptoms usually develop later in life, between the ages of 30 and 40.

Autosomal recessive PKD:

Autosomal recessive PKD is a lot less common that Autosomal dominant PKD. It’s also said to be inherited, but both parents must carry similar genes.

Acquired cystic kidney disease:

Acquired cystic kidney disease isn’t inherited. It usually occurs much later in life. ACKD develops in people who already have other kidney issues. It’s more common in people who have kidney failure or are on dialysis.

Diagnosis:

Owing to the fact that two of the types are inherited, your genes will be reviewed thoroughly. To diagnose all three types of PKD, you’d be given imaging tests to look for cysts. Types of tests include:

Abdominal ultrasound:

This non-invasive test uses sound waves to detect cysts in your kidneys.

Abdominal CT Scan:

CT Scan test is used to find out smaller cysts in the kidneys.

Abdominal MRI Scan:

This MRI uses strong magnets to image your body to visualize kidney structure and look for cysts.

Treatment:

The goal of PKD treatment is to avoid further complications. Having a check on high blood pressure is the most important part of the treatment.

• Some of the treatment options may include:
• Blood pressure medication
• Antibiotics to treat UTIs
• A low-sodium diet
• Surgery to drain cysts and help relieve pain

NU Hospitals offers comprehensive care under one roof backed by the best set of kidney specialists in Bangalore, who work closely to prepare an individualized treatment plan. We provide a complete spectrum of services to achieve the best possible outcome that makes us one of the best kidney care hospitals in Bangalore.