What Are Kidney Cysts?

The short answer to the question of what are kidney cysts, is that they are fluid-filled cysts that grown on the kidneys, eventually taking them over. Does not sound very nice, I am sure you will agree, and the aren't. In fact kidney cysts will eventually cause kidney failure and death in the sufferer. The only way to overcome the problem of kidney failure is through dialysis which is artificially recreating kidney function, or through a transplant. That should hopefully help to answer your question of literally what are kidney cysts. But, how does somone develop kidney cysts? We will now go on to answer this question in detail.

Kidney cysts develop as part of the genetic disorder Polycystic Kidney Disease, otherwise known as PKD. This disease is the most common life-threatening genetic disease, affecting in the region of 7 million people across the world. However, to say PKD is entirely an inherited condition is not entirely true. People whose families have no history of the disease at all can still go on to develop kidney cysts in later life especially if they have had a history of kidney problems or have undergone frequent dialysis. The most common form of PKD is called autosomal dominant PKD which affects 1 in 1000 people worldwide. In order to inherit the abnormal gene responsible for kidney cysts developing, the offspring need only receive the gene from one affected parent. This provides them with a 1 in 2 chance of developing the potentially fatal disease in later life. The other form of the disease is much rarer and affects children. The child needs to receive the gene from 2 parents who are carriers. This type of PKD is responsible for kidney cysts developing in 1 in 20,000 people in the world.

So, we know what are kidney cysts and the disease that causes them and how this disease is genetically transferred. However, what are the symptoms of kidney cysts? The main symptoms are frequent urinary tract infections which can be tackled with antibiotics, pain and aches sometimes very strong in the abdomen and lower back which can be helped with painkillers, and blood in the urine of the sufferer. These symptoms may not begin to rear their heads for many years after cysts have begun to grow on the kidneys. If you feel any of these symptoms then as a matter of course, a visit to the doctor should be undertaken.