Kidney cysts begin appearing on a person's kidney due to the onset of a disease called Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD). Before we go on to discuss the main kidney cyst symptoms we will first look at what Polycystic Kidney Disease is and who is affected. Polycystic Kidney Disease is primarily an inherited condition, although as we will see this is not always the case. The most common form is known as autosomal dominant PKD. 90% of people with PKD are autosomal dominant. In this form, the person only needs to inherit the abnormal gene from the one of their parents that are affected, giving them a 1 in 2 chance of developing PKD.
The other form of inherited PKD is known as autosomal recessive PKD. This affects children and requires that they inherit the abnormal gene from both of their affected parents. This results in a 1 in 4 possibility of inheriting PKD, with around 1 in 10,000 babies being affected. There is a third type of PKD which someone can get, even if neither of their parents possesses the abnormal gene that causes PKD. This form of PKD is typically brought on as a result of long term kidney problems, dialysis or old age. So, what are the kidney cyst symptoms you should look out for?
Kidney cyst symptoms for the autosomal form will generally start to appear in the sufferer during mid life. However, the afflicted person may not start to experience the symptoms for several years after the cysts have begun to develop. The typical symptoms of kidney cyst problems include:
- Headaches
- Urinary tract infections
- Pain and aches, and sometimes sudden and harsh pain in the abdomen and lower back
- Blood appearing amongst urine
Unfortunately, there is no cure for kidney cyst symptoms so affected people can only take measures to try and relieve the pain and lengthen their lives. If you begin to experience any of the symptoms described above, it is of course strongly advisable to book an appointment with your doctor immediately.
Need to learn more about Polycystic Kidney Disease? Be sure to check out
Kidney Cyst Symptoms, which contains in-depth information on PKD including causes, symptoms and treatment.
