Options Available in case of Kidney Failure

Kidney is one of the most critical organs of our body. The main function of our kidneys is to remove toxic substances and waste products from our body. Healthy kidneys do many useful jobs. They keep your whole body in balance. They also assist in building up red blood cells, and help control blood pressure. However, when you have a Kidney Failure, it means that your kidneys are damaged.

Acute Renal Failure is a stage when your Kidneys no longer function to the required expectations. There are couple of good and widely practiced treatments to treat Kidney Failure.

It is important to see a doctor whenever you come across any symptoms.  Your doctor will suggest the appropriate treatment based on these factors:

·         Your Symptoms

·         Associated Health conditions

·         Extent of damage caused to your Kidneys

·       Risk factors involved

NU Hospitals, one of the well-established and best Kidney speciality hospitals in Bangalore, has brought smiles to the faces of millions of faces by offering advanced treatments for Kidney Failure.

Before you choose a treatment for Kidney Failure, it is very important for both the patient and his/her family members to understand the treatment process completely. It is crucial to know the pros and cons of the surgery, the risk factors involved as well as the cost of the treatment.

It is equally important to be completely transparent while presenting your symptoms to your Nephrologist. Correct information will help him decide on the most suitable treatment. Usually, there are two types of treatment procedures that are commonly suggested.

·         Dialysis ( Haemodialysis or Peritoneal Dialysis)

·         Renal Transplant

In Haemodialysis, waste products and extra fluid is removed from your body. This procedure can be done at home or at a dialysis centre. During this process, the blood is pumped through soft tubes to a dialysis machine where it goes through a special filter called a dialyzer (also called an artificial kidney). After your blood is filtered, it is returned to your bloodstream.

In peritoneal dialysis (PD), your blood is cleaned inside your body, not outside your body. This procedure can be done at home too.

A kidney transplant is an operation that places a healthy kidney from another person into your body. The kidney may come from someone who has died or from a living donor who may be a close relative, spouse or friend.

Each of the above type of treatment procedure carries its own advantages and disadvantages. NU Hospitals, one of the foremost Kidney Hospitals in Bangalore has an excellent track record of treating Kidney Failures to the best satisfaction of its patients.

Can People with Kidney Transplant Recover from Covid 19?

Ever since its arrival, Covid 19 continues to make waves in every global household. However, the way it has completely changed the lifestyles of millions is there for all of us to see. With its symptoms very much similar to common cold and influenza when it began, it has now started to take various shapes with more symptoms added. Medical experts, divided across different disciplines, are now scratching their heads and are vary about Covid 19 affecting their area of medical speciality. As such, Nephrologists researching the effects of Covid 19, on a Kidney Transplant Surgery, continues at a brisk pace.

Eminent doctors from one of the premier Kidney transplantation hospitals in Bangalore, NU Hospitals, are of the opinion that post transplantation patients could be more vulnerable to Covid 19 infection and if contacted, the recovery time is between 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the severity.

With Kidney Transplantation in Bangalore being one of the widely performed surgeries in hospitals across Bangalore, doctors from NU Hospitals continue their efforts through research to find out how the effects of Covid 19 can be minimized on people who have undergone transplantation.

One of the major reasons seen could be the usage of immunosuppressive drugs by transplant recipients. Contrary to certain findings that Covid 19 spares children, the fact of the matter is that, children too, if they have had to undergo transplantation at an early age, may not be spared by Covid 19.

With a slow recovery rate and the cost of kidney transplantation being what it is, many eminent nephrologists recommend that, those patients who are affected by Covid 19 and are due for transplantation can put their surgery on hold, until they recover completely from Covid. With a Covid test, likely to be the new norm, before being cleared for any major surgery, patients might have to get themselves tested for Covid 19.

Studies have revealed that the risk of acquiring COVID-19 from organ donation is low. Donated kidneys are thoroughly screened for COVID-19. If a kidney tests positive for COVID-19, the organ cannot be used for transplantation.

Nephrologists at the best Kidney Transplantation Hospital in Bangalore, NU Hospitals, are also of the opinion that should any patient who has undergone Kidney Transplantation, come across any Covid 19 like symptoms, they should immediately connect with their respective doctors. Basic Covid 19 safety protocols should be followed at all times like wearing masks, sanitising your hands, maintaining a perfect hygiene and social distancing, to avoid the risk of getting affected by Covid, post transplantation.

Can Flu cause a Bladder Infection?

Influenza or more commonly known as flu is a household name. Since last year, we have seen the flu being widely associated with the Covid 19 pandemic too due to very similar symptoms. However, what we are going to focus here is more with respect to bladder infections and has flu got to play a role in it.

Usually, the symptoms of flu range from cough, cold fever and sometimes followed by chills and breathing issues. However, Bladder infections which is caused mainly due to bacteria, can also present similar type of symptoms. Having said that, there is every possibility that you might develop flu and bladder infection at the same time but then, you need not conclude that one condition has contributed to the other and vice versa.

Some of the symptoms observed for bladder infection are fever and chills, nausea, burning sensation while passing urine, frequent urination or fatigue. The first look at these symptoms might make it look similar to flu, but studies have indicated that flu need not be termed as the major reason behind having a bladder infection.

In the case of flu, the virus infects the nose, throat and lungs and generally spreads through the air. On the other hand, bladder infections can develop after a sexual intercourse when bacteria might just sneak through into the urethra and bladder.

It is understandable that due to more or less similar symptoms, it is difficult to find out which has caused the other. This is where an efficient urologist comes into picture who can give you a much clearer picture. Either symptom for Influenza or bladder infection should not be ignored as it can have far reaching complications. Hence, it is good to consult a good urologist if the symptoms continue for a longer duration.

There are many good medical centres offering Urology services but when it comes to seasoned minds giving you a perfect diagnosis, NU Hospitals in Bangalore is way ahead of the rest. With a competent team of some of the best Urologists in Bangalore, who have successfully handled the most delicate and challenging cases, NU Hospitals has earned the name as the best urology hospital in Bangalore due to the sheer competency and subject matter expertise of its doctors.

With NU Hospitals, you are in sage hands and can expect high quality medical attention with a personal touch. 

What are the Risk factors for developing Kidney Stones

Kidney Stones are one of the common problems associated with our Kidneys. They are hard deposits of minerals and salts that form inside the Kidneys. Kidney Stones can form in various sizes and are of various types. Some of the types which are observed quite often are Calcium Stones, Struvite Stones and Uric Acid Stones.

Normally the smaller size stones are diluted and can be thrown out of the body through the urine. But larger the size, more difficult it becomes to remove them out of the body. This might require a visit to an Urologist or a Kidney Stone Specialist. There are certain factors that lead to the formation of Kidney Stones. Let’s take a look at some of them.

·         Dehydration

One of the most common causes for the risk of developing Kidney stones is lack of sufficient quantity of water in your body. This condition is referred to as Dehydration.

·         Diet

High percentage of Sodium in your diet can increase the risk of forming kidney stones. Frequent researches have proven that having a sodium rich diet can increase your risk of certain types of kidney stones.

·         Family or personal history

Another widely found reason for formation of kidney stones is family history. If someone in your family has had kidney stones, you're more likely to develop stones than someone without a family history.

·         Obesity

It is increasingly being observed that being overweight leads to increased risk of forming Kidney Stones.

In addition to the above, certain disorders associated with our digestive system as well as Urinary Tract Infections can contribute to the development of stones in the Kidney. While the problem associated with Kidney Stones can vary with the size of the stone, but if diagnosed early, there are treatments available to get rid of the stones.

The Kidney Stone Removal cost in Bangalore is associated with the complexity of the situation. Should it warrant a surgical intervention, then the cost is a little bit higher. However, Urologists decide on the mode of treatment depending on the symptoms presented.

There are many good centres offering successful treatments for Kidney Stones. However, one centre which has made a difference than the rest has been NU Hospitals in Bangalore. With a fine blend of technology and expertise, NU Hospitals has a perfect team of Kidney Stone specialists in Bangalore, who have successfully solved the most critical cases related to Kidney Stones. The speciality of Urologists here continues to be identifying the root cause and successfully eliminating the problem.

How Smoking can affect 5 Urologic Conditions

Smoking has been a visible reason for a healthy individual to suffer many serious health consequences.  Cardiac and respiratory problems apart, researches have shown that smoking can even create an imbalance in the smooth functioning of your kidneys. Urology Specialists in Bangalore have been seeing an upward trend in Urologic conditions being influenced by smoking.  It is therefore a good idea to educate ourselves on the ill effects of smoking and to highlight that, here are 5 known Urologic conditions that can have an adverse impact due to heavy smoking.

1. Infertility: This is a common problem continued to be faced by couples all over the world.  It is increasingly observed that Smoking can have a serious effect on the ability of women to conceive. It has also been noted that the infertility rate in smokers is two times higher than in non-smokers.  Best Urology Doctors from NU Hospitals, one of the leading care centres for Urologic disorders in Bangalore, have even seen smoking to have adverse effect on In-Vitro Fertilization, the vastly recommended treatment for Infertility, even if one of the partner is a habitual smoker.

2. Kidney Cancer: Urology Specialists in Bangalore have attributed Smoking to be one of the most threatening reasons behind developing Kidney Cancer. Though there are other factors that can contribute to Kidney Cancer like Age, Obesity and generic factors, Smoking has been considered as a critical reason behind patients presenting themselves with high risk Kidney Cancer.

3. Bladder Cancer: one of the common types of cancer increasingly being noted especially in males is Bladder Cancer. Studies indicate that tobacco is the main cause behind the alarming increase in Bladder cancer. Frequent smokers, especially males, possess a 4 to 5 time greater risk to develop bladder cancer than non-smokers.

4. Erectile Dysfunction: One of the successful hospitals in treating complex cases with Erectile Dysfunction is NU Hospitals in Bangalore.  Best Urology doctors of Bangalore who form an expert team at NU Hospitals have attributed smoking cigarrates to be one of the main reasons to face this problem which is due to poor supply of blood to the Penis, the male reproductive organ.

5. Overactive Bladder: This is another common problem which causes conditions like frequent urination and disturbance in sleep. One of the major irritants to an otherwise normally functioning bladder is Smoking

Quitting Smoking can go a long way in helping you de stress yourself from facing any likelihood of developing a urologic disorder. 

What are the symptoms of Kidney problems or disease?

If I am asked a question to name three most important and critical organs of our body, then I will definitely have kidneys in that list. This is because; kidneys play a very important role in removing waste products from our body in the form of urine. But, despite having some knowledge about it, most of us are not responsible towards taking care of them and in turn end up suffering kidney related problems. Hence, it is always good to stay alert and take care, when we experience those first probable signals of discomfort.

You may now ask me what those signals are and when is the right moment to see a doctor? Usually and unfortunately too, serious problems related to kidneys are identified at a very late stage. But there is no cause for alarm. A regular, simple blood test to find out the level of serum creatinine in your blood can give you a fair idea about how your kidneys are functioning.

However, even though creatinine levels may be well within range, it is not a very good idea to ignore any of these conditions, if you face on a consistent basis. These could well turn out to be possible symptoms for kidney related problems;

·         You experience a rapid loss of weight and loose appetite.

·         Due to build-up of excess fluid in your ankles, feet or even hands, there is swelling in these areas.

·         You experience shortness of breath for a period of more than one month.

·         You tend to feel tired, weak and fatigued.

·         Frequent urge to pass urine especially during night times

·         You find it difficult to get a sound sleep or experience frequent loss of sleep called as insomnia.

·         You develop skin rashes and itchy skin.

·         Sometimes, you may experience cramps in your muscles.

·         You experience frequent headaches which are on and off.

·         In case of men when you face a medical condition called as erectile dysfunction or impotence.

The bottom line

Kidney problems can cause serious health issues if not diagnosed at the correct time. Hence, it is always good to see your doctor if you experience any of the above mentioned symptoms. A stitch in time saves nine. Hence, help your kidneys, to help you stay healthy!

What are the symptoms of Kidney Stones?

One of the common and troublesome problems associated with kidneys is Kidney Stones. They are hard collection of salts and minerals formed inside the kidney. Minerals accumulate in your urine mainly if you do not have enough quantity of water inside your body.

Kidney stones can vary in sizes from an inch to several inches. They can be very painful and take a dangerous shape, if not treated earlier. 

How do you know whether you have a kidney stone or not? 

Watch out for these symptoms and see a doctor, if they get out of control.

·       You are likely to develop pain in your back, belly or side. Usually you may attribute this pain to a stress or a strain or even a muscle spasm. But it could be much worse than that. This pain can be so immense that it could block the passage of urine out of your body. You may feel this pain or and off with the same intensity.

·      Kidney stones can move within your urinary tract. An effect of this is seen when you feel a burning sensation or pain while passing urine. This sharp pain can well be one of the symptoms.

·      Frequent urge to visit the washroom is another symptom you may experience.  This could increase either during the day or night.

·      Another very common symptom noticed for kidney stones is the presence of blood in the urine. The colour of the blood might be either red or brown.

·        You are likely to observe a cloudy appearance of your urine or even experience foul smell emitting out of your urine. This can be an early indication of a possible kidney stone.

·     Fever and Chills accompanying the pain, if experienced, needs to be attended immediately. This can well be a sign of the presence of a kidney stone or a urinary tract infection.

The Bottom Line

Kidney Stones can be very painful and unbearable. Some stones which are not very big in size might get dissolved and move out along with urine. Others bigger in size might lead to more complications if not attended to early. Call your doctor and get medical help if the pain becomes very unbearable and troublesome.