Bone Disorders Related To Kidney Disease

What are bone disorders related to kidney disease?

Kidney disease often causes bone disorders because of too much or too little calcium or phosphorus in your bloodstream. Under normal circumstances, your bones are continually breaking themselves down and rebuilding. 

If you have an imbalance between calcium and phosphorus in your blood, it can interfere with your bones’ regeneration process. Your bones may break down faster than they rebuild, causing bone loss. 

Your kidneys regulate blood electrolytes like calcium and phosphorus. Therefore, kidney malfunction can cause an imbalance of one or the other.

Renal osteodystrophy is a specific bone disorder related to kidney disease that often appears after you’ve been on dialysis for some time. It causes your bones to become weak and prone to fractures.

What are the signs and symptoms of bone disorders related to kidney disease?

Bone disorders related to kidney disease come with a wide array of signs and symptoms that might be hard to link to your bones at first. In fact, many of them have little or nothing to do with your bones. You might experience:

• Frequent broken bones
• Bone pain
• Itching
• Nerve complications
• Anemia
• Trouble fighting infections
• Cardiovascular issues

If you have symptoms like these, you should come to Houston Kidney Specialists Center for a thorough evaluation and testing. 

If the team suspects that you have bone disorders related to kidney disease like renal osteodystrophy, they perform blood tests to check the levels of calcium, phosphorus, and other nutrients. They might also order a biopsy to study a sample of your bone. 

How are bone disorders related to kidney disease treated?

There are several different approaches to treating or managing bone disorders related to kidney disease. The team at Houston Kidney Specialists Center creates an individualized treatment plan to help control your condition. It might involve one or more of the following:

Supplements

Supplements give you high amounts of a specific nutrient. For bone disorders related to kidney disease, the team might suggest taking vitamin D or calcium supplements. 

Dietary and lifestyle changes

Changing your diet to include less phosphorus helps regulate your blood minerals. Getting more exercise can also be beneficial.

Medications

Your provider might prescribe phosphate binders or calcimimetics for renal osteodystrophy. 

Dialysis

Dialysis is a treatment that performs the function of your kidneys if you have kidney failure. It helps regulate the calcium and phosphorus in your blood.

Bone disorders related to kidney disease can put you at a high risk of bone fractures, infections, and other health complications. Start planning your treatment for bone and mineral problems, call Houston Kidney Specialists, or book an appointment online today.