Diseases List

In Stage Four of kidney disease, the symptoms a person experiences will start to be debilitating, and kidney function will become severely impaired. In fact, at this stage, there is only 15-29% kidney function remaining. The body may have disguised its condition for quite a while, but now the disease becomes drastically apparent and undeniable.

The symptoms will resemble things that had begun appearing in Stage Three, but will now magnify them: fatigue increases considerably, the appetite continues to decline, and an earlier phenomenon of itching skin might become much worse than it was. High blood pressure continues to be problematic, because of course the kidneys have now lost most of their capacity to excrete unneeded fluid, so it is retained in the body. This makes the heart and blood vessels work harder, and increases damage to them. And the kidneys may have trouble producing erythopoietin, which stimulates blood cell production, so anemia is another problem that plagues patients with the disease.

At Stage Four, a cascade of effects may produce other effects, all of which contribute to an increasing weakness and a worsening of symptoms. As the kidneys become less able to filter phosphate, the levels of that electrolyte increase. In turn, this makes it more difficult for the body to absorb calcium. And since it’s the proper interaction of phosphorous and calcium that strengthens bones, bone density itself may gradually decrease. This may produce aching in the bones, but it also leaves the person more prone to fractures, which take longer than usual to heal.

Treatments at this stage are many. Blood pressure is often treated with diuretics, though some of these can play havoc with potassium levels. Anemia can usually be successfully counteracted with drugs resembling erythopoietin. Medications may prevent bone disease, and much of the phosphorous/calcium imbalance can be reduced with diet.

But these are generally stop-gap measures. This is the stage where the patient begins heading in the direction of dialysis, and starts receiving consideration for a possible transplant. While the effects of Stage Four can be mitigated to some extent, the fact remains that the kidneys are so seriously diseased that the body can’t go on forever like this.

Again, it is extremely important to take good, thorough stock of one’s complete health every few months. The symptoms of kidney disease are easy to miss, in the stages when a person might do something about it.

Sometimes kidney stone symptoms do not show at all so you do not even know that they are there. This happens when the stealthy stones are located above the pelvis of the kidney. But once the stone passes into the ureter, the symptoms will start showing because it may prevent the urine from getting drained out of the kidney.

Pain

This is probably the most obvious among the kidney stone symptoms. Renal colic which is kind of like a cramping pain will start to be felt once the ureter’s muscular wall begins contracting. This is only a natural reaction in attempt to get the kidney stone to the bladder area. From loin to groin, this pain may be felt. It could either be on the side or the middle of the abdomen depending on where the stone is lodged. It could even reach as far as the groin area.

Passing a kidney stone, or even worse more than one, can be an excruciating experience depending on the size of the stone. There are various ways to pass the stone once it has been diagnosed or identified. These range from home remedies through to surgical procedures.

Increase in urination or the inability to urinate

As the stone makes it way from the ureter into the bladder, these symptoms may occur. It varies from case to case. Some may not control the urge to urinate while others may feel the need to but nothing comes out.

Nausea and vomiting

Because of the link to the intestines, nausea and vomiting are two kidney stone symptoms that a sufferer may experience.

Hematuria, simply put, blood in the urine

Sometimes people see it when they pee, sometimes they do not. But just because you do not see it does not mean it is not there. The presence of blood may also be detected through a lab test. This unwanted bleeding may be the result of kidney damage or of the lining of the ureter.

The final two “rias”- Pyuria and Dysuria

Pyria means that there is pus in the urine. However, unlike when there is blood, it is usually difficult to be seen. A lab test is required to find this.

Dysuria on the other hand means that there is a burning sensation when one has to urinate. The worst of the worst.

If the kidney stones become even more severe, the consequences also become greater. Although this is highly unlikely, partial or even complete blockage of the kidney can result in the urine backing up into the blood. This will then lead to not only kidney damage but possible damage of the blood vessels associated with it.