How are Chronic Kidney Disease and Diabetes Linked?

Every health issue and condition comes with its own set of symptoms. They can cause fatigue, dizziness, pain, and a host of other issues. Some chronic health conditions can actually cause other major health issues in turn. Diabetes, for example, can actually lead to chronic kidney disease.

Many people have chronic kidney disease and diabetes. It is most likely that they were diabetics before they developed renal disease. Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects the entire body. Every system of the body, especially the kidneys, is affected by high blood sugar levels as well as many other byproducts of diabetes.

In bad cases, or when left untreated, diabetes can lead to kidney failure.

How It Happens

It may seem that kidney disease and diabetes are just too different for one to be caused by the other. The truth, however, is diabetes and kidney disease is strongly linked, which is why it is so common for diabetics to also deal with kidney disease. It is important to remember that all of the systems of the body are connected to one another.

Diabetes does a lot of damage to your entire body. Increased blood sugars create extra work for the kidneys, which are responsible for filtering the blood. This creates a lot of extra work and stress for the kidneys, which will begin to loose function and shut down over time.

The Damage

•    Urinary Problems: High blood sugar levels in the urine create a popular breeding ground for bacteria. Bladder infections ultimately end up as kidney infections and can become extremely painful and dangerous.

•    Nerve Damage: One common symptom of diabetes is nerve damage. This nerve damage affects your entire body, especially where urinary retention is concerned. Retaining all that urine can create a backup situation, which can hurt the kidneys further.

•    Blood Vessels: Diabetes also causes damage to small blood vessels all over your body, including your kidneys. This damage makes it even more difficult to filter the blood, which causes waste buildup.

Every system of the body is connected, especially through the blood. Blood flows through every inch of your body, from your brain all the way down to your toes. Diabetes affects the blood, its composition as well as how and where it flows. Seeing as it is the kidney's job to filter that very same blood, it is no wonder that these two conditions are so very connected.

According to the National Kidney Foundation between 30 and 40 percent of people with diabetes will develop chronic kidney disease in their lifetime. This is not a small number, and establishes kidney disease and renal failure as very real dangers of diabetes.

As with most chronic health conditions, chronic kidney disease can be diagnosed and treated in the very early stages with simple screenings. Make sure to follow up with your doctor and regular exams consistently. It is also important to follow a healthy diet and exercise program that has been cleared by your physician. These simple steps can help you both diagnose and treat diabetes with chronic kidney disease. For more information on a renal diabetes diet, click here.

Also published on Medium.