Most people never think about their kidneys until something goes wrong. The trouble is that by the time kidneys cause obvious symptoms, a large part of their function can already be lost.
That is the whole case for checking early. A simple blood and urine test can reveal a problem long before you would ever feel it, and long before it becomes serious.
What your kidneys do
Your two kidneys are fist sized organs that filter waste and excess fluid from your blood and pass them out as urine. They also help control blood pressure, balance the body salts and keep your bones and blood healthy.
When they are damaged, waste builds up quietly in the body. This slow, lasting loss of filtering ability is called chronic kidney disease, and it often develops over years without any pain.
Who is most at risk
Two conditions cause most kidney disease, and both are very common in Trinidad and Tobago. Diabetes damages the tiny filters in the kidney over time, and high blood glucose is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide.
High blood pressure is the second major cause, as it strains the small blood vessels the kidney depends on. Your risk is also higher with a family history of kidney disease, with increasing age, and with the long term use of some over the counter painkillers.
The symptoms, when they finally come
Early kidney disease usually produces nothing you would notice. As it advances, signs may include swelling in the ankles, feet or around the eyes, tiredness and poor concentration, and changes in urine such as foaming, blood or passing much more or less than usual.
Other later signs are itchy skin, a poor appetite, nausea and difficulty sleeping. Because these arrive late, they are a reason to test sooner rather than a reason to wait for them.
The tests that catch it early
Checking your kidneys is quick and straightforward. A blood test measures creatinine, a waste product that rises when the kidneys filter poorly, and from it the laboratory calculates your filtering rate.
A urine test looks for protein, in particular a protein called albumin, which leaks into the urine when the kidney filters are damaged and is often the very first sign of trouble. Where the kidney structure needs to be seen, ultrasound and CT imaging are available here to check for blockages, stones or cysts.
Protecting your kidneys
Most kidney damage can be slowed or prevented by controlling the causes. Keep blood glucose and blood pressure within target, which is the single most powerful step, and this is exactly what ongoing chronic disease management is for.
Beyond that, stay well hydrated, keep salt intake modest, be cautious with regular use of anti inflammatory painkillers, do not smoke, and keep active. Small, steady habits protect the kidneys far more than any single dramatic change.
What we can and cannot do here
Newtown Medical Centre is well set up to find and monitor kidney problems early, with on site laboratory testing, urine testing and ultrasound and CT imaging, plus the chronic disease management that keeps diabetes and blood pressure in check.
We do not provide dialysis. If kidney function has declined to the point where dialysis or specialist kidney care is needed, we refer you to a specialist kidney unit. Our strength is catching problems in the years before it ever comes to that.
The bottom line
Kidneys rarely complain until the damage is done, which is precisely why a quiet test beats a loud symptom. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure or a family history, ask for a kidney check at your next visit.
It takes one blood test and one urine sample to know where you stand. That is a small price for protecting an organ you cannot easily replace.
Diabetic or hypertensive? Have your kidneys checked at Newtown.
Laboratory kidney function blood testing, urine testing and ultrasound and CT imaging are all available under one roof at 55 Woodford Street, Port of Spain, so we can check your kidneys quickly. We do not provide dialysis, so advanced kidney failure is referred to a specialist kidney unit, but early problems are exactly what we are set up to catch. Our Accident and Emergency department is open 24 hours.
This article is for general education only and is not a substitute for personal medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider about your own health. If you believe you have a medical emergency, call or visit our 24-hour Accident and Emergency department immediately.