Kidney Failure - Your life is in safe hands with Ayurvedic Treatment

Kidneys have various biological roles along with the removal of wastes from the body and thus keep on maintaining the homeostatic balance of body fluids. Kidney Failure or Renal Failure (RF) is a syndrome characterized by progressive & irreversible decline of renal function. There is a slow destruction of renal parenchyma, and progressive decrease in Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) eventually may terminate to death. Kidney failure is reported to be a silent epidemic.

Kidney Failure can be categorised as Chronic and Acute Kidney Failures. In the case of acute kidney failure, the damage is quick and sudden, while in chronic renal failure, degradation happens gradually over a period of weeks, months, or years. In chronic kidney failures, the kidneys stop working slowly, leading to end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

Kidney Failures are growing as a global threat to health because the therapy is expensive, and the treatment process continues lifelong. It is a matter of concern since there is an increased risk for persons with diabetes, hypertension, and associated risk factors such as obesity, hypercholesterolemia, and other metabolic syndromes, which facilitate sustained and explosive growth of Kidney Failures.

As per the case study mentioned in JAIMS, Kidney Failures can be effectively managed with proper assessment of the dosha, dushya and vyadhi avastha and the treatment modalities mentioned in Ayurveda. Ayurveda treatment not only halts the growth of disease-causing factors, but it aims at rejuvenation of the body. It helps in the complete revitalization of the body along with the elimination of the ill effects of all previous disorders.

What is causing Kidney Failures?

The most frequently observed causes of kidney failure from chronic kidney disease are:

• Unmanaged Diabetes
• Prolonged High blood pressure
• Reflux Nephropathy

Other possible causes of chronic kidney disease are:

• Polycystic kidney disease - A hereditary condition where fluid-filled sacs (cysts) grow inside your kidneys.
• Glomerulonephritis - A condition affecting the filtering capacity of kidneys.
• Lupus- An autoimmune disease affecting multiple body systems.
• Drugs causing Kidney Failure - NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal and anti-inflammatory drugs).

What Signs and symptoms should we look for?

Kidney Failure must be present for many years before we notice any symptoms. It is the beauty of the human body that when we start losing kidney function, the healthy tissues in the kidney always try to compensate for the ongoing loss by working harder. It is the job of our doctor that if s/he suspects that one is likely to develop renal failure, they should confirm it by conducting regular blood and urine tests. Carelessness in regular monitoring would lead to rejection of the symptoms, and ultimately, kidneys would get irreversibly damaged. Symptoms like fatigue might not be present initially as they aren't noticed or attributed to kidney failure but will come gradually.

The symptoms of kidney diseases are mostly nonspecific, as they can also be caused by some other illnesses. A few signs of chronic renal failure are:

• increased urination, especially at night.
• foamy or bubbly urine (indicating proteins in the urine).
• urine that is cloudy or tea-coloured in appearance.

The specific signs and symptoms of kidney failure appear at the stage of irreversible damage includes.

• changes in urine output
• decreased mental sharpness
• fatigue and weakness
• loss of appetite
• muscle twitches and cramps
• Nausea/ vomiting,
• persistent itching,
• shortness of breath
• sleep problems
• swelling of feet and ankles

Future with Kidney Failure

The future of your health would depend upon the medical problems that could have been the contributing factors to kidney failure. How much damage has occurred to kidneys and other complications present could be considered the fate of your health?

The most common complications present alongside may include:

• seizures
• mineral abnormalities
• hypercalcemia [high levels of calcium in the blood]
• hyperphosphatemia [higher phosphorus levels in blood]
• malnutrition
• high blood pressure (hypertension)
• fluid overload (called edema)
• electrolyte abnormalities
• hyperkalemia, high levels of potassium in the blood)
• dehydration
• brittle bones
• anemia etc.

How is Ayurveda helpful in Kidney Failures?

Kidney Failure can be confirmed by blood and urine tests and other tests like CT scan or MRI. Higher levels of creatinine in the blood indicate lower GFR (glomerular filtration rate) due to decreased capability of the kidneys to excrete waste products.

Ayurveda Treatment always works by understanding the reasons causing the disease. In patients with Kidney Failures, it has been observed that people have disturbed Agni, due to which the food is not digested properly. Thus, there is a disturbance in the formation of the vital components leading to dosha and dhatu dushti. The changing lifestyle, intake of incompatible foods, drinking alcohol, chewing tobacco, and stress contribute substantially to disturbed Agni.

The modern system of treatment costs high to the pockets of patients. Hence, there is a need to establish affordable medical care with no side effects. We can find sustainable remedial measures from our ancient system of treatment, Ayurveda. Ayurveda states that the mainstay of a disease is to assess the Dosha, Dushya, Adhishthana along with the strength of the disease and the capabilities of the patient. After proper identification, Ayurveda Treatment incorporates appropriate therapeutic interventions. The condition, Kidney Failure, as such is not fairly known in Ayurveda, but on the basis of pathogenesis, management is planned.

Kidney Failure Ayurvedic Treatment is not organ-based. It considers tridosha, saptadhatu and agni vichara.

Various Medicated Ghee, Kwatha, Asava (medicines), etc. are prescribed in classical texts for multiple diseases. As per Ayurveda, for all types of urine disorders, Vata dosha is the prime causative factor collaborating with Pitta and Kapha. Hence, a specific treatment (Kidney Failure-Ayurvedic Treatment) is applied considering Doshas. The proposed line of treatment for managing Kidney Failures or Chronic Kidney Disease is virechana, swedana, mutrapravartaka, raktaprasadaka, agni deepan and sarva dhathu poshaka. There is strict pathya-apathyas (compatibles-incompatibles) too. Ayurveda also includes Regenerative medicines under the topic of Rasayana Chikitsa, which helps regenerate nephrons.

The patients are treated with certain combinations of the drugs, a few mentioned as Prameha Prahar Churna, Madhuyashti Churna, Shubhra Bhasma, Punaranawadi Kwath, Gokshuradi Guggulu, Trinapanchmoola Kwatha, Haritaki Churna, etc. Herbs like 'Punarnava', 'Gokhuru', and 'Varuna' can be life saviors for patients with chronic kidney disease. 'Varuna' is a blood purifier that helps to maintain homeostasis, while 'Gokhuru' is beneficial for kidney nephron rejuvenation. These ayurvedic medicines are prescribed with thorough consideration of symptoms and diseases. Patients are advised to restrict salty, fried, spicy, heavy, and oily food items.

It is always advised not to take any medicines without proper consultation.