Did you know that one in three American adults may be found to have kidney disease? Anyone can develop kidney disease at any time. If we test kidney function in time and get early treatment, you can help slow or even stop kidney deterioration. Most people with early kidney disease have no symptoms. That's why it's important to test kidney function.
There are two general types of kidney function tests. ACR (albumin to creatinine ratio) and GFR (glomerular filtration rate).
- GFR is a blood test to test kidney function. Your GFR will determine what stage of kidney disease you are in - there are 5 stages. Find out which stage you are in by checking your kidney function.
- ACR is to test kidney function by urine to see how much albumin (a type of protein) you have in your urine. Knowing that there is too much albumin in your urine by testing your kidney function is an early sign of kidney damage.
The urine-based test to test kidney function is called an ACR. ACR stands for "albumin to creatinine ratio". Your urine will be tested for albumin. Albumin is a type of protein. Your body needs protein. But it should be in your blood, not in your urine. Protein in your urine may mean that your kidneys are not filtering your blood well enough. This can be a sign of early kidney disease. If your urine test comes back "positive" for protein, the test should be repeated to confirm the results. Three positive results over a period of three months or more are a sign of kidney disease.
A blood-based test to test kidney function to estimate your GFR. your blood will be tested for a waste product called creatinine. Creatinine comes from muscle tissue. When the kidneys are damaged, they have a hard time removing creatinine from your blood. Testing for creatinine is only the first step. Next, your creatinine results are used in a mathematical formula to find your glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Your GFR number tells your health care provider how well your kidneys are working.
The kidneys help our urinary system a lot. If there is any abnormal performance, it may affect our normal detoxification function. Therefore, we should pay more attention to the protection of our kidneys in normal times, and understand some criteria to judge the good or bad kidneys, and then through some usual symptoms, so that we can test the kidney function by ourselves. So, how to check the self-test of kidney function at home?
6 ways to test kidney function at home
1. You can check your hearing to test your kidney function
The hearing function of the ear is closely related to the kidneys. If the kidney function is healthy, then the hearing is relatively good. If the human body often has abnormal symptoms such as tinnitus and hearing loss, then you should go to the hospital in time to check if you have kidney disease.
NEW YORK, NY (October 1, 2010) - Older adults with moderate chronic kidney disease (CKD) have a higher prevalence of hearing loss than their peers without CKD, according to a new report published today in the American Journal of Kidney Disease, the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation.
An Australian research team evaluated more than 2,900 people aged 50 years and older, including 513 with moderate chronic kidney disease (defined as a glomerular filtration rate or kidney function measurement of less than 60). Among those with CKD, more than 54% reported some degree of hearing loss, compared to 28% of the rest of the group. Nearly 30 percent of CKD participants exhibited severe hearing loss, compared to 10 percent of non-CKD participants.
"Hearing loss is usually associated with nephrotic syndrome. However, this study shows a strong association with CKD overall," said study author Professor David Harris, Associate Dean of the University of Sydney's School of Medicine at West Mead. "This link can be explained by structural and functional similarities between the inner ear and kidney tissue. In addition, toxins that accumulate in kidney failure can damage nerves, including those in the inner ear. Another reason for this link is that kidney disease and hearing loss share common risk factors, including diabetes, hypertension and advanced age."
"These findings could change routine care for people with CKD," said Kerry Willis, Ph.D., senior vice president of scientific activities at the National Kidney Foundation. "Early clinical hearing assessment and fitting of hearing aids for people with CKD can improve quality of life and lead to better management of underlying disease, which in turn may preserve hearing function."
2. You can check the skin condition to test the kidney function.
The condition of the skin can reflect the health of the kidneys. Generally speaking, people with lustrous skin tone have better kidney function, but if there are problems with kidney function, they tend to look old, lose luster and turn white in advance. The skin is relatively dull and often shows symptoms such as dark circles and weakness.
Kidney disease can cause certain physical changes, including changes in your skin. With CKD, your kidneys are unable to filter your blood as well as healthy kidneys, causing a buildup of waste and toxins, which can make your body feel extremely itchy. Your kidneys also have trouble balancing certain minerals, including phosphorus. When your phosphorus levels are too high, it can cause your skin to become dry and inflamed. In addition, kidney disease can cause changes in the sweat glands, leading to dry skin.
3. You can check for foam in your urine to test kidney function
The kidney is one of the most important organs in the urinary system. After multiple filtration by the kidneys, urine often does not appear foamy or abnormally colored. However, if there is an increase of foam in urine, it may be caused by the protein in urine, indicating that the kidney function has been damaged.
Your urine can be a window into your health. If you walk into the bathroom and notice foam, you may need to pay attention to how your kidneys are functioning.
What does normal urine look like?
Normal urine is clear with a yellowish tint and no blood or foam.
What causes foamy urine?
Frothy urine is a sign that there is protein in the urine, which is not normal. The kidneys filter the protein, but should keep it in the body. If the kidneys are releasing protein into the urine, they are not working properly. This can be caused by many diseases that directly affect the kidneys, such as lupus or diabetes, but it can also be a symptom of a medical problem that affects other systems in the body.
If you notice foam in your urine, it means you need to have your kidney function tested. A simple urine test can confirm if your urine contains protein and how much.
It is important to watch out for foamy urine, which when accompanied by swelling in the legs and swelling around the eyes, may indicate a serious condition.
4. You can check your body swelling to test your kidney function
The kidneys help stabilize the urinary system and regulate the body's water and salt balance. If there is a problem with the kidneys, water cannot be excreted from the body and this often leads to a build-up of water in the body and edema. If you find that you often have swollen eyelids and swollen legs, it may be a sign of diminished kidney function. People should adjust promptly and not drink too much water.
5. You can check your blood pressure to test your kidney function.
If the body has symptoms of loss of kidney function, it will often affect the balance of blood pressure and make it higher. High blood pressure can also affect the function of the kidneys and aggravate the loss of kidneys, causing hypertensive nephropathy. In addition, hypertensive patients who have symptoms of excessive urination and edema in both lower limbs should go to the hospital promptly for kidney function tests to see if there are symptoms of kidney function loss.
High blood pressure constricts and narrows blood vessels, which can eventually damage and weaken blood vessels throughout the body, including the kidneys. Narrowing reduces blood flow.
If the blood vessels in your kidneys are damaged, they may no longer work properly. When this happens, the kidneys are unable to remove all the waste and excess fluid from your body. The extra fluid in your blood vessels can raise your blood pressure further, creating a dangerous cycle and causing more damage that can lead to kidney failure.
6. You can test kidney function by at-home kidney test
The at-home kidney test contains all the supplies you need to test kidney function. The at-home kidney test allows you to test uric acid (UA), creatinine (CR) and urea (UR) at home. The at-home kidney test makes the whole process of checking kidney function easy, reliable and private. Only 35ul of blood or a pin-sized drop of blood is needed for each test, and only 10ul of blood is needed for one signal function test. One more thing: let me tell you an exciting secret, it can also test your pet, dog, horse or cat ...... A great tool for family doctors and clinics.
There are many ways to test if your kidney function is healthy, but only the data can give the most accurate answer, allowing you to test your kidney function at any time and stay in top condition. At-home kidney test realizes self-testing kidney function at home, fast and accurate, rechargeable and economical. The test paper can be refilled when it runs out. With it, you don't have to worry about the embarrassment of going to the hospital to test your kidney function. With an at-home kidney test, you deserve to have healthy kidneys.
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