What to Know About Acute Kidney Injury?

Acute kidney injury or acute kidney failure is a sudden loss of kidney function, say within a few hours or days. AKI causes waste to pile up in the blood or vessels and makes it hard for you to sustain life.


Primarily, the kidneys are meant to cleanse the blood and keep the electrolyte balance in order, so a healthy kidney is also a key important factor in the functioning of the other organ. Acute kidney injury or AKF is common in older adults who are already hospitalised or in intensive care units, especially in older adults.


Unlike chronic kidney disease, AKF is the prompt loss of kidney function. CKD takes time to develop. But in both cases, the kidneys lose their ability to filter the waste substances.


Managing acute kidney disease requires an intensive care and treatment approach. However, with acute kidney disease or injury, you can always get better or recover to near normal if you take Acute kidney treatment in Ayurveda.


What are the signs of acute kidney injury?


Signs and symptoms of acute kidney failure may vary from person to person. However, some of the generalised signs you may witness include:


Decrease in urine output: As the function of the kidney is to produce urine and expel waste, the kidneys, when they are not healthy, may result in decreased urine output. Although urine output may occasionally change, some people notice urine dribbling, etc.


Fluid retention: As the kidney function is impaired, the kidneys may retain more and more fluid, which tends to build up in the cells and eventually causes swelling in the body, especially in your lungs, ankles, or feet.


Shortness of breath: For people with acute kidney disorder, it is common to experience breathlessness or shortness of breath. This happens because the blood that transports oxygen to the lungs becomes intoxicated.


Fatigue: As the waste level in the blood rises, you may feel fatigued and dizzy.


Confusion: The blood does not receive oxygen properly as the blood has more waste in it than normal. As told, healthy kidneys help oxygen-rich blood to be transported to the many vital organs, including your brain.


Nausea and vomiting: As kidney function drops, too much waste can result in poor appetite, nausea and vomiting.


Irregular heartbeat: A poorly functioning kidney can result in abnormal amounts of nutrients in the blood needed to maintain proper heart function, such as potassium, phosphorus, vitamin D, calcium, etc.


Seizures or coma in severe cases: In some cases, a person may also experience seizures or coma. But this is rare, and it can be managed well with the help of acute kidney disease treatment in Ayurveda.


In many cases, acute kidney disease remains undiagnosed and is detected through lab tests done for some other reason.


What are the causes of acute kidney failure?


Acute kidney failure can occur due to-


  1. The conditions that impair blood flow to your kidneys

  2. Direct damage to the kidneys

  3. Blockage in the urine drainage tubes (ureters)


Impaired blood flow to the kidneys

The kidneys need continuous blood flow to perform the blood filtration process. When there are conditions that impact blood flow to the kidneys, you may develop acute kidney failure, such as:

  • Blood or fluid loss that may cause dehydration

  • Blood pressure medications

  • Cardiovascular disease

  • Heart disease

  • Infection

  • Liver failure

  • Prolonged use of aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen sodium (Aleve, others) or related drugs

  • Severe allergic reaction

  • Severe burns


Damage to the kidneys

Multiple conditions can damage the functions of kidneys, such as:


  • Clots in the veins and arteries that go in and around the kidneys

  • Cholesterol buildup in the blood can obstruct the blood flow to the kidneys

  • Glomerulonephritis is inflammation of the filters in the kidneys called glomeruli

  • A condition that results from the premature destruction of red blood cells is called hemolytic uremic syndrome

  • Visus that resulted in COVID-19 may also trigger acute kidney damage

  • Lupus

  • Scleroderma a condition affecting the skin and connective tissues

  • A rare blood disorder called as Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura,

  • Toxins, such as alcohol and cocaine

  • Muscle tissue breakdown (rhabdomyolysis) leads to kidney damage caused by toxins.

  • Tumour cells break down (tumour lysis syndrome), which leads to the release of toxins that can cause kidney injury.


What is the best treatment to cure acute kidney injury?


Acute kidney treatment in Ayurveda is regarded as the best possible address to your problem. This ancient science is so proficient enough in improving the self-healing capacity of the kidneys. Ayurveda has therapies, herbal concoctions, and procedures that may help revive the damaged cells and tissues. Panchakarma, the procedure of Ayurveda, is meant to help the body get rid of toxins or Ama, which is administered to most patients.


For kidney patients, we recommend dietary and lifestyle modifications to fight the disease. The diet has a crucial role to play in the management of kidney-related conditions. Further, when all this is combined with yoga, the results are even more profound.

For more information on acute kidney treatment in Ayurveda, you can always reach out to Karma Ayurveda.