A 47-year-old man in Taiwan raised eyebrows when he was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, and admitted to the dialysis ward. The man frequently used painkillers which quickly deteriorated his kidney function. Doctors are urging caution when taking painkillers.
“It might be tempting to swallow a couple of painkillers whenever discomfort strikes, but doctors are urging the public to be careful. Doctors diagnosed a 47-year-old man from southern Taiwan with chronic kidney disease. He must now undergo regular dialysis. Doctors say the culprit behind this man’s receding renal capabilities is over the counter painkillers.
A doctor at Shin-kao Hospital in Kaohsiung says the man used painkillers regularly for up to a year. The man began exhibiting kidney disease symptoms, but ignored them and continued to use the painkillers. That’s what landed him in dialysis.
Taiwan has over 2-million people with chronic kidney disease. Doctors say to watch out for swelling, high blood pressure, or anemia. Any of those symptoms might mean your kidneys are pulling overtime. However, the next time you find yourself about to take a couple of painkillers, you might want to ask yourself ‘just how badly do I need these?’”