If you see swelling around your eyes and bubbles in your urine every morning, you should check your kidney health.
Two kidneys are located side by side behind the sides of our body, under the ribs in the back. It is shaped like a kidney bean the size of a fist and is called kidney because it is dark red (red bean color). The kidneys play a role in excreting waste products in the blood and maintaining homeostasis in the body, and here, the ‘core filter’ is played by the glomerulus in the kidney.
Glomerulonephritis is a disease in which the glomerulus becomes inflamed. When the glomeruli are damaged, hematuria, proteinuria, and foamy urine may occur, and swelling may appear on the face (around the eyes) in the morning and on the legs or ankles in the evening. In acute progression, decreased urine output, dyspnea, and hypertension are observed.
Professor Kim Jin-sook of the Department of Nephrology at Kyunghee University Hospital said, “If the glomerulus becomes inflamed due to an immune response to bacteria or viruses or an erroneous autoimmune response, it cannot properly perform its function of filtering waste products and preventing the passage of blood or proteins necessary for our body.” “Since glomerulonephritis has a wide variety of types and symptoms, we recommend an accurate diagnosis and examination by a professional medical professional,” he said.
If the glomerulonephritis treatment is missed, it can develop into chronic renal failure (chronic kidney disease).
Professor Kim Jin-suk said, “It is possible to diagnose with a simple blood test and urine test, so if you have symptoms, do not hesitate to visit a hospital for early diagnosis and treatment.”
Glomerulonephritis is largely divided into primary glomerulonephritis and secondary glomerulonephritis. Secondary glomerulonephritis is caused by systemic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, infection, autoimmune disease, and vasculitis, but the cause of primary glomerulonephritis has not been clearly identified.
Professor Kim Jin-suk said, “Treatment is carried out by selecting customized drugs such as immunosuppressants and biological agents depending on the patient’s condition, and if the kidneys have already been damaged, related complications should be treated concurrently.” In some cases, eating foods high in potassium is unconditionally avoided, but depending on the patient’s condition, when the kidney function is not degraded and is normal, it can be rather recommended.