Just below the rib cage are two bean-shaped organs known as kidneys. They’re about the size of a fist, and one is on each side of the spine. When you have healthy kidneys, they usually filter about a cup of blood every minute to remove waste and extra water turned into urine.
Ureters are what transport urine to your bladder after filtering. The kidney also removes acid produced by the cells in your body and maintains a healthy balance of water, salts, and minerals. The kidneys also help in the production of vitamin D, red blood cells, and hormones that regulate blood pressure.
If your doctor, for any reason, believes that your kidney may not be performing its functions properly, then you’ll need a Kidney Function Test, which helps identify problems with your kidney.
A kidney function test can target your urine or blood sample to test for different functions of these organs. When your kidney is damaged, it cannot keep the body healthy. Kidneys will then be unable to filter waste leaving your body with waste and causing dangerous symptoms. If your kidney function test shows any abnormality, your doctor will take further tests to determine the root problem.
Symptoms of kidney problems
You may observe some symptoms that help you know that something amiss, and you may need a Kidney Function Test to check it out. Some conditions affect how your kidneys work. These include diabetes and high blood pressure. If you have either of these conditions, your doctor will use a kidney function test to monitor them. Symptoms of kidney problems include:
- Blood in urine
- Difficulty beginning urination
- Frequent urge to urinate
- Painful urination
- High blood pressure
- Swelling of hands and feet due to fluids buildup in the body
It may not be too big of a deal when you have just one of these symptoms. However, having multiple symptoms suggests a problem with how your kidney functions, hence why you may need a kidney function test. Even if you don’t have any symptoms, it’s always better to be safe, especially if you have diabetes. When it comes to the health of your kidneys, the further you get to know your results, the easier you can protect yourself.
Chronic kidney disease is an illness that damages your kidneys over time such that they can’t filter blood as well as they’re supposed to. Diabetes is the leading cause of this conduction, and it often has no symptoms until it’s too late and your kidneys are badly damaged.
However, if you find out early that you have kidney disease, you can easily manage it and keep it from worsening. Taking care of kidney disease in its early stages will help you prevent other conditions like heart disease.
What tests are done to check kidney function?
A Kidney Function Test helps determine the earliest sign of kidney disease. One of the earliest signs is when protein leaks into your urine. A urine test will help you identify this. You can get a dipstick urine test which helps check for creatinine.
A kidney urine test helps you know your creatinine levels in urine and if they’re normal or indicate kidney problems. If you find out that your creatinine levels aren’t normal, you can consult your doctor for further testing to determine the root problem and begin your journey to wellness.
This kidney function test helps you know the levels of creatinine your body expels in a day. Creatinine is a waste product of the body that occurs daily because of the use of muscles. Your blood filter’s creatinine level helps you know how healthy your kidneys are.
How to treat early kidney disease
After getting your kidney function test and analysing the feedback, you can talk to your doctor for further guidance or testing. If you’re suffering from early kidney disease, your doctor will prescribe medications to help control underlying conditions like hypertension in case you’re suffering from it.
Your doctor can also recommend lifestyle and dietary modifications to help with the function of your kidneys to restore them to health. However, if you have diabetes, your doctor will probably recommend you visit an endocrinologist. An endocrinologist is a doctor who specialises in metabolic diseases and can help ensure you have the perfect blood glucose control possible.
Other causes of kidney problems can also be excessive painkillers and kidney stones. In such cases, the doctor will recommend appropriate measures to help you. Abnormal test results also mean you should repeat the same test in a few months to see if everything is alright.
How to read a kidney function test result
For the kidney function tests, you will come with instructions on how to take the test and read the results and what these results mean. If you get multiple positive results, then that means you have an underlying issue in your kidneys. You must communicate with your doctor about these results. They’ll then let you know if you need to take more tests or if they can work with the results at hand.
Once your doctor has identified the cause of your kidney problems, they’ll come up with a diagnosis after other tests and a treatment plan to help you deal with your issue. Many underlying conditions can cause your kidney function to fail. Thus, your doctor will need a deep dive to identify and treat the real cause.
Final thoughts
A kidney function test is essential, especially for those with a higher risk of causing kidney problems. The symptoms of kidney problems can also help you keep track of your kidney health and deal with its issues once there’s something that needs fixing. A Kidney Function Test will help you identify kidney problems earlier when fixing them and the underlying conditions causing them is easy.
