This blog is in response to a reader question about the symptoms of kidney disease that we received about our blog, "With diabetes, kidney care is crucial."

In some people with diabetes, over time, high blood glucose levels can damage the millions of tiny blood vessels that filter waste from the blood and dispose of it in the urine. Unfortunately, early kidney disease has no symptoms. Generally, not until the damage is extensive do symptoms emerge.

Symptoms of advanced kidney disease include:

Swelling of ankles, feet and handsShortness of breathHigh blood pressureConfusion or difficultyPoor appetiteNausea and vomitingDry, itchy skinFatigue

To identify kidney problems early, an important part of your yearly diabetes management checkup is getting what's called a urine microalbumin test. This test measures the amount of a protein, albumin, in your urine.

When kidneys are functioning normally, they filter out only waste in your blood, excreted in your urine. Protein and other helpful substances remain in your bloodstream. When your kidneys become damaged, waste products remain in your blood, and albumin leaks into your urine.

When your kidneys are in early distress, only small amounts of albumin escape into the bloodstream. You may lose 30 to 300 milligrams (mg) of albumin a day through the urine. This condition is called microalbuminuria. In advanced stages of kidney disease, you might lose more than 300 mg of albumin a day.

The most reliable test to screen for microscopic protein in the urine is to collect the urine in a container for 24 hours. Another available test, the random microalbuminuria test, requires only a one-time sample of urine.

If your health care provider is aware of early kidney disease through such testing, early treatment measures can help prevent or slow down the progression of diabetes-related kidney disease. Treatment measures include:

Keeping blood glucose levels in a healthy target range, as determined by your doctorMaintaining a healthy blood pressure level, as determined by your doctorStarting an ACE inhibitor blood pressure medication, which has protective benefits to the kidneysEating a low-protein diet

Your comments are appreciated.

Have a great week,
Nancy

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Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease. Is a chronic disease. There is no well-established way to cure it. The goals are to prevent osteoarthritis to improve circulation and joint strength, control pain, enjoy a healthy lifestyle and maintain an acceptable weight. Some factors that increase the risk of osteoarthritis are:
-Age: more than 50 people are at increased risk of osteoarthritis.
-Gender: Osteoarthritis occurs more often in women. Before 45 reaches men because of injuries. After 45 to 70 women predominate. After 70 both sexes are equally at risk.
-Obesity: Being overweight at middle age and later.
-Bad Diet: fatty foods, alcohol and high cholesterol.
-Joint misalignment: If joints move or fall incorrectly as bow legs or a dislocated hip.
-Genes: a defect in a gene responsible for the formation of collagen results in cartilage that is weakest and degrades faster.
-Lifestyle: Sports injuries to his knees and hips, walking barefoot on marble floors, poorly fitting shoes etc.
-Weak muscles: they put a lot of pressure on common leading to tears in the tendon.

Osteoarthritis (OA) can affect any joint in the body, some joints are more vulnerable than others. More specific areas are:
-fingers where bone spurs in the middle of digits fingers produce characteristic swelling.
-joints of the knees and hips are more likely to produce severe pain and disability.
-neck and back pain can be very low.
-feet where he often stresses the linkage in the great toe.

Osteoarthritis can be capricious. Sometimes pain is experienced before the condition evolved enough to produce x-ray abnormalities. But the reverse is also possible. some individuals feel little or no discomfort even if his x-rays show advanced osteoarthritis. Pain usually starts gradually. It can be mild or severe. Although the pain is usually focused on the articulation of the involved, it can also be referred to the nearby areas. In the case of osteoarthritis, stiffness is common, but are usually solved in twenty minutes. Stiffness after rest is brief but patients with advanced osteoarthritis can be hard and creaky during most of the day. People having painful joints tend to be inactive and inactivity leads to muscle weakness another symptom.
It is a vicious circle, but appropriate forms of exercise can break the chain of disability.