What Are the Different Types of Renal Disease?

Renal disease is any type of disease that causes the kidneys to fail. There are several different types of renal disease.

Kidney stones are the most common form of renal disease. A kidney stone is a small, hardened material that forms in the kidney. This may cause blood in the urine and pain in the back and stomach. One method of treating kidney stones is to let the stone eventually pass through the urine. The kidneys can also have simple benign cysts, composed of small fluid filled sacs. Eventually, the cysts may dissolve and usually do not require treatment.

Hematuria, also known as blood in the urine, is a different renal problem. Blood in the urine is usually harmless and caused by urinary tract infections. Doctors normally prescribe antibiotics to clear up this infection.

One harmful type of kidney condition is polycystic kidney disease. This genetic disease causes multiple cysts to grow in the kidneys. Cysts can cause pain in the back, high blood pressure, and urinary issues. The kidneys may become damaged and not work.

When a person’s kidneys suddenly stop working, he or she will go into acute renal failure. This is caused by injury to the kidneys, medications and illness. Acute renal disease can cause harm to other areas of the body. Individuals with acute renal failure will need dialysis to filter out impurities.

When dialysis is not effective, the kidneys will cease functioning. The damage that can occur is permanent. High blood pressure, diabetes or injury to the kidneys can cause end stage renal failure. A person with this condition will most likely need a kidney transplant.

A kidney transplant involves surgically removing the diseased kidney and urethra from the patient. The patient will then get a healthy kidney and urethra from a donor. The recipient will need to take medications to make sure the body does not reject the new organs.

Persons in danger of developing renal conditions are those with diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease. Family members of someone who has kidney disease may also have a high risk. Elderly people have a greater chance of getting a kidney disease since age is also a factor.

Doctors can test blood to determine if any renal disease is present. The blood will have specific levels of protein and creatine that confirm a kidney condition. The physician can discuss the results with the patient and go over options for treatment.