Why Do Kidney Failure Patients Have Swelling

Why do kidney failure patients have swelling? This question is concerned by many patients. Many factors can cause renal edema but the radical cause of swelling is kidney’s excretory dysfunction, causing water retention. The following will give you detailed information.

Causes of renal edema

1. Once kidneys are damaged, immune damage will make the permeability of systemic capillary wall increase. This causes fluid in blood plasma penetrating into the tissue space so as to make fluid accumulating in the body. Thus, renal edema occurs.

2. Massive proteinuria or long-term of deficient protein can result in hypoproteinemia, which makes plasma colloid osmotic pressure decreased and extracellular fluid retaining in tissue space. Swelling under such a condition occurs.

3. With damaged kidneys, the area of filtration membrane decreases and its permeability reduces. Besides, blood flow in blood reduces so as to increase the secretion of renin. Renin-Angiotensin will promote adrenal cortex to produce more aldosterone so as to make renal tubular reabsorb more fluid and sodium. In this condition, oliguria will occur, which indicates excessive fluid does not be removed completely. Thus, fluid retention causes swelling.

How to treat renal edema?

1. Diuretics

Diuretics are very effective for renal edema. Although it can relieve edema effectively, it can also cause some side effects. Therefore, you had better use diuretics under the guidance of physician.

2. Supplement protein

Protein supplement is one way to alleviate renal edema but it is temporary. The key point is to treat massive proteinuria.

3. Steroids and immunosuppressant agents

As for swelling in Nephrotic Syndrome accompanied by massive proteinuria, the treatment mainly focuses on reducing proteinuria. Steroids and immunosuppressant agents or Micro-Chinese Medicine Osmotherapy combining with western medicines to reduce proteinuria and relieve renal edema.

4. Limit salt intake

In daily diet, patients should limit salt intake strictly to avoid water-sodium retention which may worsen renal edema.