Speaking with PUNCH HealthWise, Tanimola, who is a former National Chairman of the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria said that chronic kidney disease at the early stage usually does not show any symptoms hence it is necessary to pay attention to the changes in one’s health.

“Hypertension can damage the Kidney. Also, the reverse can be the case as kidney disease can and often lead to hypertension,” he said.

He further explained that the “Kidneys filter the blood to excrete extra fluid and waste through urine. When the kidney is diseased it will not perform these functions properly.

“At the early stages of chronic kidney diseases, the patient may not observe the symptoms. However, in acute kidney disease, the symptoms come up rapidly and may quickly lead to renal failure.”

He listed some of the symptoms of kidney disease as a reduction in urine volume, swollen face or puffy face, bloody urine or brown, pink urine.

While other symptoms include weakness, loss of appetite, feeling of fatigue among others.

Speaking on ways to prevent incidences that may lead to chronic kidney disease, the public health expert said chronic kidney diseases can be reduced by drinking enough water daily, reducing or avoiding drugs that can damage the kidney like bleaching creams.

Other measures, he said, include avoiding excessive use of pain killer drugs and local concoctions.

He also called for good blood pressure control and regular medical examination to enable the early detection of kidney diseases.

“It is also important to urinate when the desire is there and not forming the habit of holding urine,” he said.

Source: HealthWise