Diabetes strikes your kidneys in such a way that they are no longer able to remove waste from the blood and maintain the level of fluid and salts that the body needs.
Approximately 20 to 30 per cent of people with diabetes develop kidney disease, although not all of these will progress to kidney failure. The truth is that it doesn’t matter whether a person with diabetes use insulin or not he is still susceptible to nephropathy (kidney damage). The risk is related to the length of time the person has diabetes. Unfortunately, there is no cure for diabetic nephropathy, and treatment is lifelong. Another name for this condition is diabetic glomerulosclerosis. People with diabetes are also at risk of other kidney problems including narrowing of the arteries to the kidneys, called renal artery stenosis or renovascular disease.
Symptoms of Damaged Kidney
- Fluid retention (oedema)
- Fluid retention
- Swollen legs
- Swollen face
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Vomiting
- Nausea
Methods for Diagnosing
Diabetic nephropathy can be diagnosed with the help of the following tests:
 Urine tests
This test checks protein levels. An abnormally high level of protein in the urine is one of the first symptoms of diabetic nephropathy.
Blood pressure
Elevated blood pressure is caused by diabetic nephropathy and also contributes to its progression.
Blood tests
This checks the degree of kidney function.
Biopsy
A small tag of tissue is taken from the kidney, via a slender needle, and examined in a laboratory.
Kidney ultrasound
This makes the size of the kidneys to be imaged and allows the arteries to the kidneys to be checked for narrowing that can cause decreased kidney function.
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