Glomerular Disease

Every second of every day, your kidneys are working hard to filter your blood via roughly 2,000,000 nephrons. These tiny filters are made up of countless clusters of looped blood vessels called glomeruli and these components work to remove waste and fluid from your bloodstream. However, the glomeruli can become damaged for a range of reasons, not allowing them to function properly. Here we’ll learn more about glomerular disease, its causes and treatment.

What Is Glomerular Disease?

Glomerular disease is the result of conditions that affect the tiny filters called glomeruli. When they become damaged and can no longer do their job of cleaning your blood, this condition is called glomerular disease. There are various types of diseases and conditions that fall under the umbrella term of glomerular disease, which is further divided by two more broad categories of ailments:

• Glomerulonephritis: inflammation of the glomeruli

• Glomerulosclerosis: scarring/hardening of the glomeruli

A condition affecting the health and functioning of your glomeruli can be acute or chronic in nature–either a sudden occurrence or something that develops more slowly, over time.

Whether inflammation or hardening of the glomeruli is at the root of your condition, you’ll likely experience some common symptoms and eventual outcomes if you do not seek treatment and work to manage the condition.

Symptoms of Glomerular Disease

Damaged glomeruli that are no longer functioning properly will leak protein and red blood cells into your urine. This reduction of protein in the bloodstream will then prevent the flushing of extra fluid in the blood. Altogether, these problems can manifest in various ways, including:

• swelling in the face, hands, feet, abdomen, and ankles

• weight gain due to fluid increase

• blood in urine causes it to look pink, red or brown

• protein in urine causes it to be foamy or bubbly

• high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels

• anemia, due to lower red blood cell count

• fatigue, feeling more tired than normal

A doctor who is investigating the cause behind your symptoms will likely test your blood and urine before also ordering imaging tests or even a biopsy in order to form a positive diagnosis of glomerular disease.

Regardless of whether your glomerular disease is chronic or acute, as soon as you experience symptoms, it is vital to seek treatment. Unfortunately, in the case of chronic disease, damage can be done over time before symptoms show–that makes immediate treatment and management even more critical in order to prevent further damage. Untreated glomerular disease can lead to even more serious kidney problems, including chronic kidney disease and kidney failure.

Causes of Glomerular Disease

Acute glomerular disease comes on quickly and is often caused by a bacterial or viral infection or some other temporary and treatable condition, such as a reaction to a medication or even chemical exposure. However, chronic glomerular disease has a wide range of potential causes, such as:

• Autoimmune diseases 

• Genetic disorders

• Cancers

• Diabetic kidney disease

In some cases, glomerular disease can also simply be idiopathic, meaning that the exact cause is not known.

Treating Glomerular Disease

If glomerular disease is caused by an acute and treatable condition–like an infection–then it may be able to be resolved by treating the infection. However, other forms of glomerular disease that originate due to autoimmune disorders, diabetes, or genetic conditions can generally be treated and managed, but may not be curable. 

Once you know what is causing your glomerular disease, then your nephrology doctor can find ways to treat and manage your condition. The goals are to reduce symptoms, avoid complications, and prevent further damage to your kidneys. This can include methods and medications to control high blood pressure and even temporary dialysis-like treatment in order to remove extra fluid from your bloodstream.

Beyond clinical approaches, you can also make dietary and lifestyle changes to make it easier for your kidneys to function properly. This can include taking steps to reduce sodium intake, eating more healthfully, getting more exercise, stop smoking, reducing alcohol use, managing stress and keeping up to date on preventive care.

Your Local Nephrologist in Akron, Ohio

At Northeast Ohio Nephrology Associates, Inc. we are here to help individuals dealing with chronic kidney conditions. Our skilled nephrology doctors can help to develop personalized treatment plans and provide cutting-edge therapy options, all while assisting with practical needs, like lifestyle modification, education, and patient support. Contact us today to learn how you can become a patient and begin your journey to better kidney health!