Renal tubular acidosis is a group of disorders that cause acid and electrolyte problems. The condition may progress to chronic kidney disease or cause complications if left untreated [1]. Here’s what you need to know about renal tubular acidosis.
What Is Renal Tubular Acidosis?
Renal tubular acidosis (RTA) is a serious kidney disease that happens when the filtration tubes of your kidneys become damaged. These damaged tubules either don’t remove enough acids from the blood into your urine or remove too much base, leading to high blood acid [2].
Your body keeps an acid-base balance within a tight range [3]. A high acid level in the blood, or acidosis, disturbs electrolytes and causes heart, muscle, and nerve problems [2].
Types of Renal Tubular Acidosis
RTA may be an inherited disease that starts in childhood or may develop from time to time because of other conditions like diabetes or autoimmune diseases [4].
There are four types of RTA, which include [5]:
- Type 1 or distal RTA: occurs when there's damage at the end of the tubules
- Type 2 or proximal RTA: the damage is at the beginning of the tubules
- Type 3 or mixed RTA: a combination of type 1 and type 2
- Type 4 or hyperkalemic RTA: the tubules cannot remove enough potassium, interfering with acid removal
Type 1 leads to kidney stones and may cause further damage or chronic kidney disease [6]. Type 2 causes bone pain, rickets in children, and osteomalacia in adults, and type 4 may cause muscle paralysis and irregular heart rhythms [1].
Diagnosis
Your doctor diagnoses RTA with blood and urine tests to measure specific markers. Urine tests may include a urinalysis using pH test strips to measure urine acidity, a urine culture to rule out bacteria and infection, and a urine anion gap test to measure ions [4].
Treatment
The treatment for RTA is to drink a sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate solution. Potassium bicarbonate is necessary for those who have low potassium levels. [6] Some people must take sodium bicarbonate or baking soda every day to control chronic acidosis [6]. Your doctor can also treat underlying conditions that may be causing RTA.
What Are the Symptoms of Unbalanced pH Levels?
You don’t always know you have unbalanced pH levels, but symptoms may appear suddenly. The major signs are low potassium and bicarbonate in your blood 950.
Common symptoms include [2]:
- Extreme tiredness and weakness
- Muscle twitching and cramps
- Irregular heartbeat
- Kidney stones
- Chest pain
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
RTA with low potassium is a serious condition and can lead to death if it goes untreated. [5] Uncontrolled or untreated RTA can also lead to complications, including [5]:
- Slow growth in children
- Rickets and bone disease
- Dental problems
- Kidney failure
- Cardiac arrest
Using Urinalysis Tests or Urine pH Test Strips
Home pH tests or urine pH test strips are a simple way to monitor your health, efficacy of treatment, and acid-base balance [7]. Urine pH normally measures between 5 and 6, and urine test strips that show a urine pH above or below these numbers may mean problems with your kidneys [8] .
However, you need other tests to confirm RTA and acidosis problems. If you have symptoms of RTA or think your urine is too acidic or alkaline, talk to your doctor.
Monitor Your Urinary Health With Diagnox
Regular health screening is part of living with chronic conditions, such as renal tubular acidosis. Diagnox's Urinox-10 urine test strips and the pH test strips are FDA-approved and CLIA-waived tests for accurate diagnosis and easy monitoring of urine pH, kidney function, and other parameters. Stay on top of your health and feel confident with Diagnox. Buy your strips.
