National Kidney Month: Marching in the right direction toward kidney disease prevention

March is National Kidney Month, when we remember why it's important to do a little more maintenance than just spring cleaning. Kidney disease, sometimes chronic, is a silent threat with little to no symptoms in the early stages. Most common in the elderly, minorities, diabetics and those with high blood pressure, the disease is one that affects the organs responsible for cleaning a critical part of the human body: blood.

Each day your kidneys continuously filter about 200 quarts of blood to remove toxins, wastes and excess water from the body. But the loss of kidney function can exacerbate other health issues and lead to serious, even fatal, complications. And unfortunately, most kidneys are affected simultaneously, rather than individually, so one can't pick up the slack for the other.

If symptoms aren't always obvious, how should you know when to take precaution?

The first step is to simply know if you are already at-risk. 35% of adults with diabetes have chronic kidney disease. The elderly and those with high blood pressure or a family history of kidney disease are also highly at risk. If you fit in one of those groups, it's best that you regularly get tested by your doctor for kidney damage. If you experience frequent urination, fatigue, loss of appetite, swelling in the hands and feet or areas of darkened skin, make sure to contact your doctor right away.

Those few minutes it takes to get tested can end up saving your life. And, thanks to medical advancements, it typically involves little more than a urine or blood pressure test.

If you are already living with kidney disease, you can take steps to mitigate it. Eat low-fat, low-cholesterol meals, avoid sodium and potassium, exercise, don't smoke, and get your blood pressure under control. These lifestyle changes can help contain the damage.

Oftentimes people with chronic kidney disease need dialysis, a process that cleans and filters blood in place of the kidneys. Facilities like U.S. Renal Care offer complete dialysis services in our centers and, for some patients, in the comfort of their own homes. We do our best to provide compassionate care where and when patients need it.

We may not know the last snowfall of the season until it's already passed. But, that doesn't have to be the case with kidney disease. Learn if you or your loved ones are at risk.

Dr. Mohammed Ahmed, MD is a nephrologist at Advanced Renal Care. He also serves as the Medical Director of U.S. Renal Care Bolingbrook Dialysis.