Kidney Failure

Your kidneys are a pair of organs located toward your lower back. One kidney is on each side of your spine. They filter your blood and remove toxins from your body. Kidneys send toxins to your bladder, which your body later removes toxins during urination.
Kidney failure occurs when your kidneys lose the ability to sufficiently filter waste from your blood. Many factors can interfere with your kidney health and function, such as:

Your body becomes overloaded with toxins if your kidneys can’t do their regular job. This can lead to kidney failure, which can be life-threatening if left untreated.

Usually someone with kidney failure will have a few symptoms of the disease. Sometimes no symptoms are present. Possible symptoms include:

a reduced amount of urine
swelling of your legs, ankles, and feet from retention of fluids caused by the failure of the kidneys to eliminate water waste
unexplained shortness of breath
excessive drowsiness or fatigue
persistent nausea
confusion
pain or pressure in your chest
seizures
coma

Early signs of kidney failure

Symptoms of early stage kidney disease may be difficult to pinpoint. They’re often subtle and hard to identify. If you experience early signs of kidney disease, they may include:

Causes of kidney failure

Kidney failure can be the result of several conditions or causes. The cause typically also determines the type of kidney failure.
People who are most at risk usually have one or more of the following causes:

Loss of blood flow to the kidneys

A sudden loss of blood flow to your kidneys can prompt kidney failure. Some conditions that cause loss of blood flow to the kidneys include:

High blood pressure and anti-inflammatory medications can also limit blood flow.

Urine elimination problems

When your body can’t eliminate urine, toxins build up and overload the kidneys. Some cancers can block the urine passageways, such as:

Other conditions can interfere with urination and possibly lead to kidney failure, including:

Other causes

a blood clot in or around your kidneys
infection
an overload of toxins from heavy metals
drugs and alcohol
vasculitis, an inflammation of blood vessels
lupus, an autoimmune disease that can cause inflammation of many body organs
glomerulonephritis, an inflammation of the small blood vessels of the kidneys
hemolytic uremic syndrome, which involves the breakdown of red blood cells following a bacterial infection, usually of the intestines
multiple myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cells in your bone marrow
scleroderma, an autoimmune condition that affects your skin
thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, a disorder that causes blood clots in small vessels
chemotherapy drugs that treat cancer and some autoimmune diseases
dyes used in some imaging tests
certain antibiotics
uncontrolled diabetes

There are several treatments for kidney failure. The type of treatment you need will depend on the reason for your kidney failure.

Dialysis filters and purifies the blood using a machine. The machine performs the function of the kidneys. Depending on the type of dialysis, you may be connected to a large machine or a portable catheter bag.
You may need to follow a low-potassium, low-salt diet along with dialysis.
Dialysis doesn’t cure kidney failure, but it can extend your life if you go to regularly scheduled treatments.

Another treatment option is a kidney transplant. A transplanted kidney can work normally, and dialysis is no longer needed.
There’s usually a long wait to receive a donor kidney that’s compatible with your body. If you have a living donor the process may go more quickly.
You must take immunosuppressive drugs after the surgery to prevent your body from rejecting the new kidney. These drugs have their own side effects, some of which are serious.
Transplant surgery might not be the right treatment option for everyone. It’s also possible for the surgery to be unsuccessful.
Talk with your doctor about whether you’re a good candidate for a kidney transplant.

There are steps you can take to reduce your risk for kidney failure.
Follow directions when taking over-the-counter medications. Taking doses that are too high (even of common drugs like aspirin) can create high toxin levels in a short amount of time. This can overload your kidneys.
Many kidney or urinary tract conditions lead to kidney failure when they’re not properly managed. You can help reduce your risk for kidney failure by:

maintaining a healthy lifestyle
following your doctor’s advice
taking prescribed medicine as directed
treating common causes of kidney failure, such as high blood pressure and diabetes

If you have any concerns about your kidneys, don’t hesitate to reach out to your doctor.