The kidneys are the pair of organs that manage the filtering and disposing system for the whole body. They are the embodiment of multitasking organs because they handle a string of functions, including blood pressure management, red blood cell production, balance in electrolytes, and sustenance of bones” health. A significant function of kidneys is to filter the blood and separate the waste products and excess fluids in order for them to be excreted out of the body. There are multiple benefits of having healthy multitasking organs- kidneys.
However, it is not acknowledged that a human body can survive and manage very well with a single kidney. Then what is the need for another one?
But the duties that kidneys manage need a backup. If one of the kidneys fails abruptly. Suppose a person has a single kidney and fails, then the affected body can stop functioning, proving that kidneys are the major organs. They are stated as the whole balance of the body because they have a position to maintain in the growth and development of the body.
What is kidney shrinkage?
If an organ expands more than its size or shrinks, the systemic functioning order can acquire a disturbance. Because average size reflects normality and abnormal size reflects abnormality.
If your kidneys are abnormally sized, then it can be a sign of an atrophic kidney. Normal kidneys are fist-sized and have a shape similar to beans. But an atrophic kidney is a kidney that has shrunk to a size that depicts malformation.
An abnormally sized kidney is an emblem of abnormal functioning. The ultimate truth about the human body is well acknowledged that having abnormal size organs can prove to be the faults within the internal organs’ functioning. However, in the medical world, a kidney disease associated with having a small kidney is called renal atrophy. The first factor that describes the kidney’s small size is that the kidney can be underdeveloped, resulting in an abnormal-sized kidney called congenital problems. The second factor depicts that the kidneys’ reduction in size can appear after birth; one or both kidneys can be at the target of shrinking to the smaller size, This type of kidney shrinkage occurs due to reduced blood supply into the kidneys or nephrons loss.
Several infections that are chronic and tend to obstruct the kidneys can trigger kidney atrophy. However, small-sized kidneys can advance to kidney disease. The more the kidneys function abnormally, the more chances increase for the body to become a victim of kidney failure. If kidneys reduce half of their size, they can lead to kidney failure, also known as the final objective of all kidney diseases.
However, ayurvedic treatment or medicine for kidney shrinkage can help treat the complications caused by an atrophic kidney. Ayurveda is the passage towards the good health, vitality, and continuous wellness of the kidney.
Is it problematic if one of the kidneys is small?
Having one small kidney is not an alarming sign, and it is possible to lead a healthy lifestyle. But it is still likely that a tiny kidney can invite health issues like high blood pressure.
If both kidneys are abnormally smaller than a normal-sized kidney, this can bring concern because there are no sufficient healthy renal tissues, due to which the kidneys can lose their function entirely and reach the stage of end-stage renal disease. Renal atrophy varies from renal hypoplasia, and the episode of the kidney is smaller than its standard size can be divided into several factors that can be easily understood through an insight into the aetiology of renal atrophy.
What are the causative factors of kidney shrinkage?
Kidney shrinkage ayurvedic treatment stated that it is essential to know the root cause of the disease because that can assist in treating the disease from its core. There are several causative factors of renal atrophy.
- Renal artery stenosis: It is defined as a blockage in the blood supplying arteries. The fatty deposits can thicken the arteries, or blood clotting can result in obstructed blood renal arteries,
- Obstructions in the urinary tract: Any type of blockages can meddle with the standard passage of urine flow, which can pressurize the kidneys and provoke irreparable damage to their functional and structural units.
- Kidney stones: The word stone denotes obstruction; Kidney Stones are untreated kidney blockage.
- Recurrent kidney infections: These infections interfere with the functional order of the kidneys and spread their maliciousness into the systems of kidneys. Conditions such as pyelonephritis, polycystic kidney disease, and other renal harming diseases are the building blocks of kidney atrophy.
What are the symptoms linked with kidney shrinkage?
The symptoms emerge when the kidneys have lost their functioning rate up to 30-40%. These symptoms indicate the internal state of the kidneys. The loss of filtering abilities at a gradual note leads to the identifications of symptoms that include:
- Changes in the urination frequency.
- Darkening skin.
- Fatigue or drowsiness.
- Itchiness.
- Lack of appetite or losing the sense of hunger.
- Muscle cramps.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Swelling within the hands and feet as improper blood filtration triggers the accumulation of excess fluids in the tissues.
Other alarming signs that are associated with atrophic kidney:
- High creatinine concentration. (Read more about high creatinine)
- Acidosis.
- Anorexia.
- Malnutrition.
Ayurvedic medicines for kidney shrinkage can help reduce the rate of symptoms mentioned above, as herbal medications are effective and long-lasting on kidney disease.
How is kidney shrinkage diagnosed?
If you see any physical changes in the body or a string of symptoms directly associated with kidney atrophy, your healthcare provider will tell you to undergo the following tests.
These tests help identify the kidney shrinkage:
- Ultrasound.
- Computed tomography (CT or CAT) scan.
- Magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI).
Kidney shrinkage treatment in Ayurveda provides a productive guide to reduce further kidney damage, proving harmful to the body.
Ayurveda as a solution for renal shrinkage
Ayurveda believes that a healthy lifestyle and diet are the steps to acquire good health and vitality of the kidneys. That is why ayurvedic treatment for kidney shrinkage focuses on maintaining the ahar and vihar of the atrophic kidney patients so that his body can procure natural healing capabilities and doesn’t become a center of other health issues.
Herbal management and natural healing therapies are also a part of kidney treatment in Ayurveda. The diet is customized according to the patient’s condition. However, below are the dietary factors for atrophic kidney patients associated with ayurvedic kidney shrinkage treatment.
- Limiting sodium intake: Excess sodium intake hampers kidney function. Limiting the amount of salt for kidney patients can help manage blood pressure levels.
- Avoid protein-rich foods: Protein-rich foods can pressurize the kidneys to function due to their small size.
- Consume cardiac-friendly food: Avoid foods high in cholesterol and fats because high cholesterol invites cardiac-related issues.
- Reducing potassium and phosphorus causes impairment of the kidneys and can not filter them. As a result, phosphorus and potassium build up in the blood.
Herbal management in ayurvedic kidney shrinkage treatment includes the use of authentic herb-based medications. These ayurvedic medicines for kidney shrinkage are renal friendly and boost kidney function. Natural healing therapies provide relief from the complications and symptoms of kidney shrinkage.
The bottom line is that Ayurveda treats kidney disease from its core using its natural healing system, which is effective and beneficial for the state of kidneys.
To know about shrinkage and its impacts with the medium of video, open the video below.
Disclaimer: This informational material provided on this page is intended for knowledge purposes only. It should not be taken as a substitute for professional medical advice without consulting any ayurvedic practitioner. For further advice, you can use this helpline: +91-9871712050 number or visit www.karmaayurvedahospital.com.