World Kidney Day: Signs and symptoms of kidney disease; causes, 5 things you can do to prevent it

Kidney disease is increasing at an alarming rate all over the world. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is now among the top five causes of death in many countries. In India, it has been ranked as the eighth leading cause of death. Kidney disease can strike any person at any age, however, it is more common in women than in men. CKD affects an estimated 195 million women worldwide and is currently the eighth leading cause of death, with close to 600,000 female deaths each year. A survey by SRL Diagnostics found that kidney disease is more common in Indian women than in men. The survey showed that abnormalities in kidney function were an average of 11.36 percent higher in women than in men (9.48%). 

World Kidney Day, celebrated on second Thursday in March every year, is a global awareness campaign aimed at raising awareness of the importance of our kidneys. This year, World Kidney Day is coinciding with International Women's Day celebrated on March 8 each year. International Women's Day is a global event that celebrates women’s achievements - from the political to the social - while calling for gender equality. However, health remains a matter of concern for women as they tend to overlook their health. On its 13th anniversary, World Kidney Day promotes affordable and equitable access to health education, healthcare, and prevention for kidney diseases for all women and girls in the world. Women with chronic kidney disease face a range of healthcare challenges associated with menstruation, sexual function, bone disease, depression, and pregnancy complications. Read: Six things women need to know to keep their kidneys healthy
What is chronic kidney disease?
Chronic kidney disease, also called chronic kidney failure, refers to the gradual loss of kidney function. Your kidneys are one of the essential organs and are responsible for filtration of harmful fluids and wastes from the body. Therefore, it is vulnerable to damage by a range of conditions and infections affecting the body such as diabetes, hypertension, bacterial or viral infection, toxins, smoking, and drugs. Without the kidneys, your body cannot function at all, which is why kidney disease can be deadly.
What are the signs and symptoms of kidney disease?
Symptoms of the disease include blood in urine, increased or decreased frequency of urination, swelling in legs feet or ankles, feeling tired and fatigued, loss of sleep or trouble sleeping, dry and itchy skin, and episodes of nausea and vomiting, etc. Signs and symptoms of chronic kidney disease are non-specific and develop over time if kidney damage progresses slowly. Many people with the condition do not experience symptoms as it doesn't usually cause problems until it reaches an advanced stage. Hence, you must seek medical help if you have persistent symptoms that you think could be caused by kidney disease.

What causes chronic kidney disease?
There are a number of illnesses that can cause permanent damage to the kidneys, but the two main ones are diabetes and high blood pressure, accounting for about two-thirds of the kidney damage. Other factors that cause kidney disease include obesity, smoking, high cholesterol level, family history of kidney disease, and older age. Some studies suggest that women are more likely to develop CKD than men - with an average 14% prevalence in women and 12% in men. 
Can CKD be cured? What can you do to prevent or reduce your risk of kidney disease
When these two diseases are controlled by treatment, the associated kidney disease can often be prevented or slowed down.
Often, CKD has no cure, but some types of kidney disease can be treated depending on the underlying cause. Although effective treatments are available for many kidney diseases, many people are sometimes unaware that the condition can often be prevented. Also, healthy lifestyle changes can help prevent or reduce the risk of developing kidney disease. These include:
Maintaining a healthy weight - Watch your weight and try to stay active on most days, if not all, of the week. This will help lower your risk of developing high blood pressure and diabetes, both of which can cause damage to your kidneys. If you are overweight and need to lose weight, talk with your doctor about strategies for healthy weight loss.
Not smoking - Remember, cigarette smoking can damage your kidneys and make existing kidney damage worse. If you smoke, take steps for quitting smoking.
Managing your medical conditions - In case you have been diagnosed with certain diseases or conditions that increase your risk of kidney disease, you must work with your doctor to control them. Also, ask your doctor or your healthcare provider about tests to look for signs of kidney damage.
Be aware of the symptoms - While the symptoms of kidney disease can be hard to spot, there are some signs to look out for. Hence, learning about the condition and being aware of general signs and symptoms of kidney disease is important and can help avoid deadly outcome.
Medications - If you have been diagnosed with kidney disease, follow your instructions on how to take over-the-counter medicine. Taking too many pain relievers could lead to kidney damage. So, make sure you take your medications exactly as directed.
In addition to that, always discuss your diet with your doctor before making any changes.