How many stages are there to kidney failure?
10/10/2008 |
Question:
I am currently in stage 4 of kidney failure. Would that make the pain so bad it is difficult to walk? How many stages are there to kidney failure?
Answer:
There are 5 stages of kidney failure, as defined by the GFR (glomerular filtration rate), which is a measurement of the filtering function of the kidneys. Stage 2 has a GFR of 60-90; stage 3, 30-60; stage 4, 15-30; and stage 5, below 15. Dialysis usually needs to be started sometime in stage 5.
Most causes of kidney failure do not cause pain; so if you are having severe pain, you need to ask your doctor why, and your doctor should look for a cause. If the pain is in your kidney area, it may mean that you have an infection or a kidney stone, or are bleeding into a kidney cyst. If the pain is elsewhere, there may be a strained muscle, or an infection or tumor somewhere.
For more information:
Go to the Kidney Diseases health topic.