Everyone have a tiring stretch of days. It could be because of long working hours, tiring late-night assignments, or even a fun series that one may binge-watch. These reasons could lead to puffy eyes due to tiredness. However, puffy eyes sometimes point towards a more serious issue, especially in the kidneys.
The kidney’s main function is to filter excess waste and eliminate the body’s toxins. To achieve this, the kidneys have a network of blood vessels called glomeruli, which are also called the ‘cleaning units. They are responsible for removing excess fluids and filtering out waste from the body. If the glomeruli are damaged, the kidney struggles to function properly.
How do you know you have Chronic Glomerulonephritis?
‘Glomerulo’ refers to the glomeruli in the kidney and ‘nephritis’ is the inflammation caused in the kidney. In glomerulonephritis, the excess salts and fluids can build up in the kidneys, due to dysfunction in glomeruli.
The various symptoms of chronic glomerulonephritis include as shared by Dr Udit Gupta, Consultant – Nephrologist, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre:
• Swelling in legs or face
• Pain in the abdomen or joints
• Blood in urine or foamy urine
• Shortness of breath, nausea
• High blood pressure
• Weight loss or loss of appetite
Various reasons can induce this condition like – bacterial endocarditis (inflammation of heart valve linings) or infection in heart valves, issues with the immune system, HIV, or strep throat, genetics, and other reasons.
Complications caused by Chronic Glomerulonephritis
This condition affects the capacity of the nephrons to clean up the bloodstream and get rid of the excess waste in the body. This can affect bodily functions and cause issues such as loss of red blood cells, loss of proteins in the blood, and collection of waste and toxins in the blood.
Further complications of this condition can induce other problems like – acute and chronic kidney diseases, high blood pressure nephrotic syndrome (a condition in which there is too much protein in the urine and less in the bloodstream), and others.
Are there ways to ease the effects of Glomerulonephritis?
1. Changes in Diet: Our diet affects various conditions as food directly influences one’s overall well-being. It is advised to reduce the amount of potassium, protein, salt, and fat. It is also advised to drink less fluid, as the glomeruli are damaged.
2. Control Blood Pressure: Eating a balanced and advised diet will help to control the blood pressure in the body. It is essential to check on the blood pressure levels at regular intervals as the condition tends to shoot up the blood pressure.
3. Regular Medical Visits: There are various conditions that can further cause glomerulonephritis like – autoimmune diseases, infection in the heart valves, etc. It is advised to check with a doctor in case of symptoms that feel unnatural to the body.
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