Proteinuria: A Dangerous Stepping Stone To Kidney Failure!

Diabetes is a disease which is classically identified by the high glucose levels it brings about in the blood, which leads to a number of complications in the body, many of which are long-term and even fatal. Most of these complications are caused by the high levels of glucose in the blood - a result of the body's inability to make use of this glucose as energy to nourish and sustain itself. The high glucose content of the blood inflicts severe damage to the blood vessels, leading to conditions like diabetic retinopathy, nerve damage and even heart disease. An equally potent, but much lesser known condition brought about by diabetes is Proteinuria, which like diabetes, is slow and deceptive in its development.

Proteinuria, as the name suggests, is a condition where the urine excreted by an individual contains excessively high amounts of proteins due to an anomaly in the functioning of the kidneys. Kidneys are responsible for the elimination of waste products produced by your body by filtering them out and leaving behind only the essential nutrients which are later assimilated into the body. Your body relies on the proteins in the food you eat for muscle growth and repair.

In a healthy body, the protein particles are too big to be discarded with the other waste material and are thus retained by the body. However, when an individual is afflicted with diabetes, his kidneys are negatively affected by blood-vessel damage that it suffers and thus is unable to retain these protein particles. As a result, the body loses out on the essential building blocks it needs to sustain itself and grow, thus impairing the victims physical health in both the short and the long term.

The first protein to be discarded by the kidneys is albumin, which is later accompanied by other proteins as the Proteinuria develops into its more mature stage. And so, the deficiency as well as the mal-performance of the kidneys continues to become more severe until the kidneys finally stop functioning completely.

The blood-vessel damage that diabetics suffer from makes their particularly susceptible to Proteinuria and it is highly recommended that you undertake routine checks to arrest this disease at its nascent phase. Research has also established that the risk for individuals suffering from Type 1 Diabetes is the same as those who are afflicted with Type 2 Diabetes. Proteinuria tests examine your urine for traces of protein, and especially the kind of protein excreted, which in turn will determine how severe your condition is.

Victims of Proteinuria also display several physical symptoms like foamy urine and an unusual swelling in their hands and feet. However, waiting for these symptoms to develop before testing for Proteinuria may not be as effective, as these conditions are only palpable when the condition is tremendously exacerbated.

Once detected, treatment for Proteinuria is directed towards bringing down your glucose levels within the targeted range, so that your disease is not encouraged by further damage to your blood vessels. If you suffer from both diabetes and high blood pressure, your physician may advise that you take medication like angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers to help your kidneys recover. Diabetes is a disease whose myriad facets are unveiled only when you abuse your condition and don't treat it with the care it calls for. So, if you are still one of the many who are lax with their diabetes management program it's time to step up and take responsibility right now! It may be your strongest chance at a healthy, satisfying life.

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Julia Hanf author of the book How To Play the Diabetes Diet Game and Win Through a real life crisis Julia figured out how to live diabetes free. Visit www.yourdiabetescure.com and learn more about your solution for diabetes.

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