Nephrotic Syndrome – The Cause Of Many Kidney Problems

Nephrotic syndrome is a non-specific kidney disorder where the filtering units of the kidneys become damaged; this results in protein leaking from the blood into the urine, causing many kidney problems.

The symptoms of nephrotic syndrome include fatigue, swelling, and edema in the legs and abdomen. Facial puffiness, especially around the eyes is also commonly seen. Blood and urine tests are used to diagnose nephrotic syndrome, and if the cause is unclear you may also need to undergo a biopsy.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are commonly prescribed to treat this disorder, along with angiotensin II receptor blockers. This disorder can develop slowly over a long period of time or develop suddenly. There is no specific age at which this illness begins, and this will vary according to the cause of development.

Nephrotic syndrome can be a primary illness, or secondary to another kidney disorder. Nephrotic syndrome can be caused by other various disorders such as diabetes mellitus or viral infections. It can develop due to glomerulonephritis, which is a condition where the kidney become inflamed and cause kidney damage. There are many drugs that are toxic to the kidneys that cause this syndrome as well. Changes within the immune system are a common cause of nephrotic syndrome in children.

Symptoms of the syndrome include decreased appetite and weight loss, general malaise, muscle wasting, abdominal pain and fluid retention. The kidneys help to filter out excess fluid and waste in the body, but when they are plagued with a disorder this process is disturbed, causing build-up of toxins and fluid retention. This is often seen in your lower body during the day, and when you lay down to sleep the fluids may shift into your upper body, which causes your eyes to seem puffy in the morning.

Drug treatment usually can stabilise and decrease the amount of excess protein that leaks into the urine. However some patients don’t respond well to medicine, and these can have negative side effects, therefore ultimately many patients develop kidney failure over the next couple of years. Natural therapies however, have none of these side effects and can be used to help reverse kidney damage and protect the health of your kidneys for the future.