The kidneys are located on either side of the spine. They perform the indispensable job of purifying the blood in the body and keeping the balance of minerals and salts in it. Without the kidneys, waste, chemicals and excess fluid would build up while the body’s salt and mineral balance would be unhinged. It is a fatal condition.

Chronic kidney disease is a condition where they have not been functioning properly for a while. While the onset of symptoms might seem sudden, the deterioration of the kidneys would have set in long before. This is because the healthy nephrons (millions of tiny filters in the kidneys) can take up the slack of the diseased and unhealthy ones. For a time that is. As more nephrons stop working though, the kidneys will begin to shut down. There are five stages of kidney disease ranging from kidney damage with normal GFR (glomular filtration rate) to kidney failure.