Nephrotic Syndrome- How Ayurveda deals with it?
Nephrotic syndrome isn’t a disease; it is a syndrome. A syndrome is a group of symptoms or conditions that usually occurs together. It suggests the presence of a certain disease or an increased chance of developing the disease in the future.
Nephrotic syndrome is a group of symptoms that appears when your kidneys are not found to be working well.
The small blood vessels present in the kidneys function as a filter. These blood vessels are part of “glomeruli,” the filtering part of your kidney. These vessels help in clearing out waste and extra water from your blood. This waste and water pass through the ureter and gets accumulated in the urinary bladder and leaves the body as urine. When the kidneys are damaged, and the process of filtering is not done properly, too much protein slips through the filters into the urine. This results in the state of nephrotic syndrome.
Nephrotic syndrome can affect adults and children, but it is good to know that it is treatable.
What causes leads to the development of Nephrotic Syndrome?
It could be easy for the physician to find out the cause of the syndrome. They would find out the condition that affects your kidneys. They call that the “primary” cause of the nephrotic syndrome.
They might also look for another issue with any other part of your body that might also affect your kidneys. Those are known as “secondary” causes of nephrotic syndrome.
The conditions that are found to be involved in causing damage to your glomeruli includes:
Minimal change disease, also known as Nil Disease, is the main cause of nephrotic syndrome in children. It is quite strange that kidney tissues of people suffering from this disease look relatively normal under a microscope, but kidney function is found hampered. Scientists are still not able to identify the reason for hampered kidney functioning. But they can locate a few potential causes of the disease-like, infections from viruses, allergic reactions, taking certain medications, and using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, or FSGS. It is a disease that scars the glomeruli in the kidneys. It has been found as the most common primary cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults. FSGS can also be caused due to viruses(such as HIV), certain medications, genetic mutations, long-term obesity, hypertension, and many more.
Membranous nephropathy is a condition where the membranes of the glomeruli thicken. Phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) antibodies are found to be associated with primary membranous nephropathies.
Cancer, malaria, hepatitis B & C, HIV, and lupus may be associated with the Secondary causes.
Diabetes has been found as the most common secondary cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults. It has been found to be involved in kidney damage. The condition thus caused is known as diabetic nephropathy.
Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) is a chronic disease of the immune system. It has been found to be involved in creating serious damage to the kidneys.
Amyloidosis occurs when a substance called amyloid proteins build up in your blood. This also has been found involved in creating damage to your kidneys.
How to identify the Signs and Symptoms of Nephrotic Syndrome?
The main signs or symptoms that make up nephrotic syndrome are:
- Presence of too much protein in your urine, also known as proteinuria.
- Hyperlipidemia, presence of high amounts of fat and cholesterol levels in the blood.
- Edema of legs, ankles, feet, and lower abdomen. Sometimes your hands and face are also involved.
- Low serum albumin levels, i.e., low levels of albumin in your blood. It is known as “hypoalbuminemia.
Other symptoms of the nephrotic syndrome include:
- foamy urine
- loss of appetite and nausea
- puffy eyelids
- sudden weight gain due to retention of too much fluid
- tiredness
Who is at Risk for Nephrotic Syndrome?
Certain medical conditions like diabetes, lupus, and amyloidosis increase the chances of nephrotic syndrome. Intake of certain drugs like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) regularly increases the risk of Nephrotic Syndrome.
Certain infections that have been found involved in increasing the chance of nephrotic syndrome include:
- Hepatitis B and C
- HIV
- Malaria
- Untreated strep infection in kids
How can we Diagnose the presence of Nephrotic Syndrome?
To diagnose the presence of nephrotic syndrome, you must quantify the number of proteins in your urine. Certain blood tests can also help you to check your kidney functions.
Your doctor may also ask you to identify the presence of a secondary cause of the nephrotic syndrome, such as diabetes.
Some people might require kidney biopsy, which requires taking a tissue sample for study under a microscope.
Urine dipstick test. This is a simple test to check the presence of albumin in your urine. The dipstick changes its colour if albumin is present in the urine. If the amount of albumin present in urine crosses a certain level, we call it albuminuria. To confirm the presence of nephrotic syndrome, one must do one of these two urine tests.
- 24-hour urine collection. Collect urine samples over 24 hours. The sample is then analysed in a medical laboratory.
- Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR). This test measures both albumin and creatinine. This test uses a single urine sample to estimate the amount of albumin lost in 24 hours.
At times, we can also confirm it by checking the amount of proteins in our blood.
What are the Complications related to Nephrotic Syndrome?
When the problem is left untreated, it can cause other problems like:
- Blood clots due to the hampered ability to prevent the formation of blood clots.
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol and triglycerides
- Infections such as pneumonia and meningitis because your body loses immunoglobulins
- Kidney failure, as damaged kidneys are unable to remove waste products from your bloodstream.
What are the possible Treatments for Nephrotic Syndrome?
Your treatment plan is decided on the cause of your nephrotic syndrome. If a different condition is responsible, then it should be the first thing to treat.
Lowering your blood cholesterol, treating hypertension, and reducing edema may be key goals for treating proteinuria.
Medicines you might take include:
- ACE inhibitors and ARBs are used to decrease the blood-pressure also, supports glomeruli functioning, and lowers the amount of protein in your urine.
- Diuretics are used to reduce swelling.
- Cholesterol-lowering drugs-Statins help to lower blood cholesterols.
- Blood thinners or anticoagulants are used to reduce the formation of blood clots.
A help from Ayurveda
Presence of proteins in Urine is alarming you of a serious health problem. If you want to be out of the problem of protein leakage, you must work to cure the root cause.
It is a type of kidney disease that is reversible with the use of lifestyle changes and with ayurvedic medicine for Nephrotic syndrome.
Ayurveda has been providing effective treatment for various kidney diseases for ages. Research also has shown that ayurvedic treatment has provided exceptional results in treating patients with nephrotic Syndrome. These ayurvedic medicines help in restoration of the overall health of kidneys. Ayurvedic nephrotic syndrome treatment uses natural and herbal preparations to deal with this problem. Nephrotic syndrome ayurvedic treatment follows a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.
Herbs, condiments and spices like cardamom, coriander, Dandelion root, Gokshuradi Guggul, Musta, Punarnava, and Triphala, etc. are used in ayurvedic medicines for nephrotic syndrome. These herbs help to improve kidney function and complete alleviation of the diseased organs.
At times, treatment is not required for temporary or mild states of nephrotic syndrome. But in cases where your protein leakage lasts a little longer, then you must treat the underlying conditions.
Possible treatment includes:
Few measures that are followed in nephrotic syndrome treatment with Ayurveda:
- Avoid preserved foods. Salt, the most common preservative, should be strictly prohibited for kidney patients.
- Eat permitted fresh fruits, vegetables, and grains-helpful for keeping your system clean and healthy.
- Pranayama /breathing exercises are proven beneficial in improving overall health. Walking, swimming, running or yoga is also helpful so one should add exercise to your daily routine.
Disclaimer: This information provided on this page is intended for information purposes only. It should not be taken as a piece for professional medical advice without consulting any medical practitioner. For further advice, you can use this helpline: +91-9871712050 number or visit www.karmaayurvedahospital.com.