Kidney health conditions, including kidney stones and kidney diseases, are on the rise in recent years across the globe. In India, doctors are noticing a surge in kidney stone cases, especially among the younger generations, or the Gen Z and millennials, due to multiple reasons. On World Kidney Day, let's discuss this in detail.
Some of the major reasons that experts list are the heavy consumption of processed food items, sugary beverages, fried snacks, and lack of hydration.
While, on the other hand, a study published in February 2023 has revealed that the prevalence of kidney stones in India stands at 12 per cent, and is relatively more common in north India with a 15 per cent rate. ¡°Young adults should look for fatigue and weakness that become almost habitual. This could be due to anaemia, secondary to decreasing renal function, and manifesting as swelling of the hands, feet, or face from retained fluid,¡± says Dr. Bhanu Mishra, consultant nephrologist at BLK Max Super Speciality Hospital.
According to Dr. Shrey Srivastava, Senior Consultant-Internal Medicine, Sharda Hospital, ¡°Symptoms of kidney dysfunction can easily be missed because these are often quite common, almost like those arising in other organs.¡±
This both requires immediate medical attention to avoid more advanced end-stage renal disease. ¡°Nephronophthisis, in these cases, can present these same symptoms without significant hypertension to assist in the detection early on. You can henceforth see such symptoms stir medical evaluation and timely intervention to stave off further damage to the kidneys,¡± says Dr. Srivastava.