urinary infection
I am a 37-year-old woman suffering from frequent urinary tract infections. Do you think the problem will affect my kidneys?
Repeated urinary tract infections may damage your kidneys unless the cause is detected and you are treated accordingly. You need to get your blood sugar and urine checked. An ultrasound and a few other tests are needed to find out any structural damage or obstruction (like stones) in your urinary passage. If there are stones there and they are removed in time, you don’t have anything to worry about. Drink plenty of water, void urine regularly, especially before sleep and after sexual intercourse. Keep your undergarments clean.
muscle cramps
I’m 51. I have been suffering from sleep disturbances accompanied with muscle cramps for the past couple of months. After a clinical examination our house physician advised me to get my blood tested. The test indicates that I’s suffering from kidney failure. However, I don’t have any problem with urination. What’s wrong with me?
Kidney failure (chronic renal failure) usually presents with decreased urine output and swelling of the body. However, occasionally it may show vague symptoms like loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, hiccups, confusion, itching, breathing difficulty, weakness or even sleep disturbance and muscle cramps. You need to restrict the intake of fluids such as tea, coffee, water or other beverages. You should also avoid protein-rich foods like fish, meat and dairy products. Restrict salt in your diet. Avoid painkillers. Vitamin D and E supplements may help you combat the situation.
protein in urine
Recently, while suffering from fever I (40) had my urine tested. The report showed that I have protein in the urine. I don’t have any problem while passing urine. Do I have renal problems?
Although protein in urine indicates a renal problem, you need not worry as fever, exercise or even a change of posture can bring out protein in urine. Get your pressure, sugar and urine checked, as high pressure and diabetes often lead to protein in urine.
swollen body
Recently my five-year-old son had an attack of fever and sore throat. Ever since that he has been looking swollen. Is he suffering from some kidney disorder? I am scared. Please suggest the course of action.
Your son is probably suffering from infective nephritis. The symptoms are: swollen body, reddish or reduced urine, high blood pressure and so on. Most of the time the signs show up following an episode of fever, sore throat, cough, or rashes in the body. But you need not worry much, becau-se the problem goes away with rest, salt and water restriction and a course of penicillin.
severe backache
I am 36. I occasionally suffer from a severe backache. At times my urine is reddish. An ultrasonography test indicates that there is a four-mm stone in the right distal ureter (the tube by which urine passes from the kidney to the bladder). What do I do?
Drink 3-4 litres of water, along with an alkali mixture and painkillers like paracetamol and dicyclomine. New drugs like Tamsulosin can expel such stones, enabling a complete cure. If it persists for a couple of weeks even after medication, there are various options other than an open surgery to remove it.
reddish urine
I am 32. I occasionally pass reddish urine, without any pain or other problems. My urine test showed blood in it. Am I suffering from cancer?
You need not be so scared, as there are many other common causes of blood in urine like an urinary tract infection, tuberculosis, trauma, bleeding disorders, stones and some types of nephritis. However, you need to consult a doctor for investigations. Stop using medicines like aspirin that sometimes cause blood in urine.
YOUR HEALTH
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