CKD full form in medical is Chronic Kidney Disease. It is a long-term condition where the kidneys gradually lose their ability to function effectively. That means they’re not doing a great job of cleaning out all the waste and extra fluids from your blood like they’re supposed to. As a result, all that junk starts to build up in your body, leading to a bunch of health issues. CKD has five stages, with stage 1 being pretty mild and stage 5 being super serious, also known as end-stage kidney disease or kidney failure. As things get worse, the kidneys just can’t keep up, and people with CKD might start to notice a whole bunch of symptoms. Some common signs include feeling wiped out, not having an appetite, feeling uneasy, swelling in your hands and feet, and changes in how often or what color you pee. But here’s the catch, you might not even notice these symptoms until the disease is pretty far along.
There are a bunch of reasons why someone might get CKD, but the usual suspects are diabetes, high blood pressure, and certain autoimmune diseases. In a lot of cases, the older you get, and if there’s a family history of CKD, the higher your chances of developing it. Plus, other things like smoking and being overweight can also play a role in getting CKD.