What does intrinsic medical renal disease mean?

Intrinsic renal disease is a type of kidney disease that is often the result of an injury to the kidneys. Intrinsic or intrarenal acute renal failure (ARF) occurs when direct damage to the kidneys causes a sudden loss in kidney function. The disease also is caused by lack of blood to the kidneys, drug abuse and inflammation from other causes. The kidneys are vital because these organs keep you alive by filtering toxins out of your body. Toxins and even excess vitamins are excreted through the urine. People with intrinsic renal disease will often have other symptoms such as anemia, bad breath, joint problems, ammonia taste in their mouth, swelling, bloody urine or severe fatigue. People suffering from kidney disease may also look pale and become depressed. They do not feel well, which causes them to lose interest in their normal daily activities. If you have been diagnosed with intrinsic renal disease there are a few things you may want to consider to improve your quality of life. Make changes in your diet immediately. You can strengthen your kidneys by taking steps such as drinking pure water daily-either filtered water or a good quality bottled water. Coffee and tea do not count as fluid replacement. Chemicals in coffee and tea act as a diuretic and actually removes more fluid than it replaces. I find a lot of people think they are well hydrated because they drink iced tea all day when they are actually dehydrated from drinking tea! In addition, eat a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables. Juices, like cranberry juice, can be good to flush out your urinary tract as well. Take liquid vitamin supplements to bypass the digestive process. The vitamins will help give you strength and energy while dealing with the disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, a low phosphorus diet is beneficial for people with kidney disease. There are four main type of intrinsic renal disease: glomerular, tubular, vascular and interstitial. People who are at risk for these types of renal disease are those who have diabetes, chronic renal insufficiency and congestive heart failure. Drug therapy is the main treatment for several types of intrinsic renal disease. Medications include loop diuretics, mannitol, calcium channel beta blockers and dopamine. Vascular renal failure is often treated aggressively with surgery. Interstitial renal disease is often treated with corticosteroids. Interstitial disease typically brings on a fever or rash. One of the most common causes of intrinsic renal disease is an injury from a car crash, though there are also several types of intrinsic renal disease with other causes. Vascular is usually caused by capillary thrombosis. Glomerular is usually brought on by hypertension and other health conditions. Tubular disease is brought on by toxins and ischemia. The most common reason for interstitial disease is from an allergic reaction to a drug, but it can also be brought on by infection or autoimmune disease. See Web MD for more information, also the National Kidney Foundation is a good source of info.