Maintaining kidney health is essential, especially as we age, and various factors like smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, high blood pressure, and diabetes can adversely affect kidney function, leading to chronic kidney disease.
One significant impact of alcohol on the kidneys is the risk of acute kidney failure. Binge drinking, defined as consuming five or more drinks in a session, can cause acute kidney injury, characterized by the kidneys’ inability to filter toxins efficiently. This condition arises when toxins accumulate too rapidly, partly due to alcohol’s hindering effect on kidney filtration.
Additionally, alcohol can contribute to bladder overstretching, leading to urine backflow into the kidneys, kidney infection, and gradual damage over time. It also increases dehydration risk, heightening the chance of developing pressure sores. Overfilled bladders may cause autonomic dysreflexia, a severe increase in blood pressure that can result in stroke, convulsions, or other critical conditions.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs), particularly in men, present symptoms such as frequent urination, strong urges to urinate, pain or burning sensations during urination, and pain or tenderness in the bladder area. These infections, if they travel to the kidneys, can lead to kidney infections.
Various conditions can cause kidney pain, including kidney infections, kidney stones, and kidney cysts. These differ in nature and symptoms from typical low back pain. For example, a kidney stone lodged in the ureter can cause intense pain, while a kidney infection often accompanies fever and flank pain.
Other factors affecting kidney health include exercise-related conditions like rhabdomyolysis, which can lead to kidney injury due to muscle soreness, weakness, and dark or brown urine. This condition can be caused by intense physical activity, medication side effects, alcohol use, drug overdose, infections, and trauma.
Moreover, glomerular diseases like IgA nephropathy, an autoimmune condition, can damage the kidneys. Infections, both bacterial and viral, can also stress the kidneys and harm them.
For further information, please refer to the following sources:
Harvard Health,
Human STEAM,
Northwest Regional Spinal Cord Injury System,
Harvard Health,
University of Utah Health,
Harvard Health,
Harvard Health,
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
