Be Vigilant: Six Early Warnings of Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)

Polycystic Kidney Disease is a genetic disease, which, according to its genetic characteristics, can be divided into Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) and Autosoaml Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease (ARPKD). Therefore, what are its early signs and how can we know if we have got the disease?

Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease is also called Infantile Polycystic Kidney Disease, which is rarely seen in clinic and babies with the disease die shortly after birth except few ones can live to childhood or adulthood. Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease, also named Adult Polycystic Kidney Disease, is quite commonly seen, which doesn’t show obvious symptom in the early stage but has augmented both in number and in size once it is found. Therefore, earlier treatment becomes quite important. How can Polycystic Kidney Disease be found?

Six early warnings are shown as following:

1. Polycystic Kidney Disease is often comes together with diseases such as polycystic liver disease, Hepatic Cyst, Splenic Cyst, Pancreatic Cyst, Cerebral Aneurysms, Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm and so on, therefore those with family members diagnosed to have the above-mentioned disease should pay attention of the occurrence of Polycystic Kidney Disease.

2. Those with repeated hematuria or slight proteinuria should take note of the possibility of its appearance.

3. Discomfort in the waist and abdomen or hypertension caused by uncertain reasons may also be signs of the disease.

4. People living in severely polluted environment or frequently dealing with poisonous chemical substances (including Nephrotoxic medicines) or radials have more possibilities of getting the disease than others who are not.

5. Overstrain, including excessive physical, physiological labor with lack of exercise or improper exercise method, excessive sexual intercourse can also give rise to the disease.

6. Emotional changes, especially long-term serious depression or fears.

In conclusion, Polycystic Kidney Disease is inherited but can be induced and exacerbated by acquired causes both from the body itself and the surroundings. Therefore, patients with the disease should avoid the inducing factors and pay close attention to changes of the body. In time of appearance of symptoms such as backache, abdominal pains, hematuria, hypertension accompanied by headache or dizziness, frequency of micturition, urgent urination, go for further examination and treatment to prevent the condition from getting worse.