Nephrotic Syndrome
What is Nephrotic syndrome?
Nephrotic syndrome is a kidney disorder. This disorder causes proteinuria (protein present in urine), hypoalbuminemia (low level of protein in the blood stream), and oedema (swelling in the body parts).
There is a kidney dysfunction which portrays many signs and symptoms, these all together forms Nephrotic syndrome. There is damage to the part of kidney which filters waste and excess water from the blood. Failure in the function of the kidney causes excretion of the more protein in the urine, as a result there is a fall in blood protein level (hypoalbuminemia/proteinemia) and increased protein excretion through urine (proteinuria) and the water accumulates in the body tissues leads to swelling of the body parts (oedema/swelling).
Causes of Nephrotic syndrome
There can be many causes behind Nephrotic syndrome which are as follows:
- Kidney disease- Any other kidney disease eg. Pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, polycystic kidney disease, cancer of kidney etc. can affect the normal function of the kidney. Renal vein thrombosis can cause Nephrotic syndrome where there is blood clot obstructing the vein connected to the kidney.
- Heart diseases like right heart failure, pericarditis can cause Nephrotic syndrome.
- SLE- systemic lupus erythematous (chronic inflammatory disease) – This disease can damage the kidney and thus can develop Nephrotic syndrome.
- Diabetes can be one of the major causes for Nephrotic syndrome.
- Medications- Side-effects of certain medications like antidepressive drugs, hypertensive drugs, antibiotics etc. can cause Nephrotic syndrome.
- Mental stress plays an important role in the development of Nephrotic syndrome.
- Certain infections like hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV etc. can increase the chance of Nephrotic syndrome.
Symptoms of Nephrotic syndrome
- The major sign of Nephrotic syndrome or any kind of kidney disease is swelling of the face, mostly upper parts of the body then it includes lower part of the body (legs, ankle joints and feet) and ultimately swelling of the whole body.
- Weakness, loss of appetite, and general tiredness
- There is decreased excretion of urine.
- Due to puffiness of the body, patient may have difficulty in breathing.
- High blood pressure.
- High lipid levels (high cholesterol).
- High amount of protein in urine.
Diagnosis of Nephrotic syndrome
- Blood tests- show low level of protein in the blood, and high level of lipid.
- Urine tests- reveal high level of protein mainly albumin present in the urine.
Complication of Nephrotic syndrome
- Hypertension- Nephrotic syndrome can lead to high blood pressure as there is retention of water in the body tissues.
- Hypoalbuminemia- low level of albumin in the blood can make a person low in his immunity and resistance power to fight against infections and diseases. Loss of high amount of protein in the blood can lead to malnourishment.
- Due to low level of protein in the blood, there is low calcium level in the blood which can cause calcium deficiency in the body.
- Hyperlipidemia- High level of cholesterol in blood.
- There can be acute kidney failure.
- Chronic kidney disease- As kidney would be losing its normal functions gradually in Nephrotic syndrome, which can ultimately lead to chronic kidney disease.
Conventional treatment of Nephrotic syndrome
Medications to control the complications of Nephrotic syndrome are:
Hypertensive drugs to reduce High blood pressure and cholesterol medications to control high cholesterol levels.
Calcium supplements can be given
Homeopathic treatment of Nephrotic syndrome
Homeopathic treatment deals with the underlying causes of the disease . It further arrests the progression of the disease and thus helps in preventing its complications.
It helps in enhancing the immunity thereby helps in reducing the frequency of acute illnesses such as frequent cold and cough, frequent sore throat etc.
It helps in reducing the frequency, duration and severity of the nephrotic syndrome.
It also helps in reducing the dependency on steroids.
