Painkiller misuse is a common cause of insidious kidney damage. The kidneys filter blood and eliminate drug metabolites. When the body receives an excessive or frequent amount of painkillers, the kidneys become overloaded, leading to structural and functional damage.

Notably, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), currently the most common type of painkiller, pose a significant risk of kidney damage. Prolonged, unsupervised use of these painkillers can lead to chronic interstitial nephritis and renal papillary necrosis, resulting in chronic kidney failure. More dangerously, drug-induced kidney damage often progresses silently. In the early stages, patients experience few noticeable symptoms. By the time symptoms like leg swelling, reduced urination, foamy urine, or hypertension appear, kidney function may have significantly declined.

Individuals with existing risk factors, such as being over 60, having underlying conditions like diabetes or hypertension, or experiencing dehydration (due to fever or diarrhea), face a many times higher risk of acute kidney failure if they use NSAIDs compared to healthy individuals.

At the Tam Anh General Hospital system, doctors admit many patients with late-stage kidney failure due to years of uncontrolled self-medication with painkillers.

Master. Doctor Tran Au Que Nhung examines a patient. Photo: Tam Anh General Hospital

To protect kidney function, one should only use painkillers when truly necessary, strictly adhering to the dosage and duration prescribed by a doctor, and never arbitrarily increasing the dose. If prolonged painkiller use has occurred and unusual signs appear, such as persistent fatigue, loss of appetite, unusual urine color, or periorbital swelling, it is advisable to visit a reputable hospital for a specialized kidney examination and timely intervention.

To accurately assess the extent of drug-induced kidney damage, doctors may order tests such as Cystatin C levels, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), a 24-hour urine protein test, and renal Doppler ultrasound to check blood flow nourishing the renal parenchyma. If interstitial nephritis or renal papillary necrosis is suspected, CT or MRI scans may be ordered to detect lesions, leading to an appropriate treatment regimen.

Additionally, drinking 1,5-2 liters of water daily (or more if experiencing significant dehydration from physical activity or sports) helps the kidneys better filter drug metabolites. One should also incorporate physical therapy measures, change sitting posture, exercise, or consider acupuncture and massage, instead of relying entirely on painkillers.

Master. Doctor Tran Au Que Nhung

Department of Nephrology - Dialysis

Urology - Nephrology - Andrology Center

Tam Anh General Hospital, TP HCM