The term Nephrotic Syndrome is coined from two words: Nephros (in Greek) meaning kidney and Syndrome denoting a group of symptoms. The basic functioning unit in the kidneys is called as a Nephron, & the doctor who deals with kidney diseases is called as a Nephrologist.

The basic function of the kidneys is to filter blood, and eliminate impurities from the body ,such as blood urea, creatinine, any such toxic materials.

The various types of kidney diseases are:
Acute & chronic Glomerulo-nephritis, Nephrotic syndrome, renal stones or Calculi, pyelonephritis, acute & chronic renal failures.

What is Nephrotic Syndrome ?
Nephrotic Syndrome is a set of symptoms related to kidney dysfunction, and not a disease in itself. In this Syndrome there is a disorder, characterized by loss of proteins in the urine. This causes fall in the protein levels in the blood, due to which water moves into body tissues, causing swelling and bloating of the body (edema/Oedema).

To know what is Nephrotic Syndrome, let us first briefly understand the structure and function of the kidneys.
The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs found in the lower back. They are about the size of a fist. The kidneys are like body’s filters, which remove impurities or wastes from the blood via the urine and return the cleaned blood back to the body. Each of these kidneys has millions of units to filter blood called glomeruli. Glomeruli are tiny blood vessels that form a meshwork in the kidney through which blood is strained to filter out excess water and waste products. When the kidneys are working well, they clean the blood and get rid of waste products, excess salt, and water. When diseased, the kidneys may get rid of things that the body needs to keep, such as proteins and blood cells.Protein help the blood soak up water from tissues. But kidneys with damaged filters may let protein leak into the urine. As a result, not enough protein is left in the blood to soak up the water. The water then moves from the blood into body tissues, producing swelling. This swelling may be most noticeable around the eyes, legs, hands, belly, etc….. As body looses this vital protein in the urine, which is more than 25 times the normal amount, this results in drop of protein in the blood called hypoproteinemia or hypoalbuminemia, another cardinal feature of Nephrotic Syndrome.

Hypercholesterolemia (high blood cholesterol) is common in Nephrotic Syndrome. In addition to albumin, other important enzymes involved in cholesterol metabolism, slip through the glomeruli, which contribute to high blood cholesterol.

Treatment of Nephrotic Syndrome can be planned as under:
1. Dietary and general management
2. Medicinal management

1. Dietary and general Management:
  The cardinal features of Nephrotic Syndrome being hypoalbuminemia, hypercholesterolemia, and edema .Dietary management plays a vital role in the overall management of Nephrotic Syndrome. The mainstay of dietary management is
• Salt restriction
• Adequate protein intake
• Replace saturated fats with mono or polyunsaturated fats.
• Fibre rich foods and Reduce sugar

In addition to this, prevention of infection, and treatment of other diseases where Nephrotic Syndrome is secondary to the underlying disease condition.

2. Medicinal Management:
  Nephrotic Syndrome is a multi-factorial, deep level disorder, which is an offshoot of wide array of diseases. However the basis of Nephrotic Syndrome , is imbalance of immunological system in the body, producing functional disturbance at the level of the kidneys. Treatment directed towards suppressing these expressions of altered immunity will not help the person in the long run. The analogy of this can be easily explained with that of a spring. If you attempt to press the spring, it will remain in this form only as long as you are applying the pressure. The moment you take off the pressure the spring is going to bounce back at you. In the same way, Nephrotic Syndrome too upsurges once the suppressive treatment subsides. The conventional mode of treatment (Allopathic) directed towards merely relieving symptoms of edema will prove too superficial an approach, when we are looking at the long-term goal of treating the disease at a root level.

Homoeopathy treatment:
The system of homeopathic medicine has a promising role to offer for the treatment of Nephrotic Syndrome, inclusive of all its variants. Inspite of atrocious nature of the condition, it is possible to treat Nephrotic Syndrome successfully. The treatment of Nephrotic Syndrome has to be planned strategically on a long-term basis, being a chronic and deep-seated disease, there is no short cut in the treatment.

Homeopathy is a scientific medical alternative for treating a wide range of chronic ailments, one amongst them being Nephrotic Syndrome. It should be emphasized that homoeopathy treats patient who is diseased and not just the disease. Homeopathy firmly believes in enhancing body's own curative power to maintain the healthy status,by bringing the immune system back to normal.

The basic approach in homeopathy is to evaluate the disease in its whole extent, whereby a lot of emphasis is given to the patient as a whole, besides minutely studying various aspects of the Nephrotic Syndrome.

While making the case analysis of Nephrotic Syndrome, patient’s minutest of the details about the presenting complaints, severity of complaints, in which areas the edema is more marked, complaints regarding urination, associated complaints, triggering factors, amount of proteins in the urine and blood, etc. are noted carefully. Besides this, a greater deal of emphasis is given to patient’s individual features such as eating habits, food preference, thermal attributes, and sleep pattern. The study of the patient's mind and emotional spheres, psychosocial background, behavior and personality pattern is conducted meaningfully. Furthermore, patient’s history of past diseases and that of the family diseases is understood to know the miasmatic background of the patient.

Role of homoeopathy medicines:
After putting all the vital information together, and fine evaluation process carried out, an individualist medicine is determined. This constitutional medicine, which when administered in the correct dose treats the patient at an inner level and brings about harmony at the constitutional level. The homoeopathy medicine works at the immunological level, bringing about normalcy. The medicine administered reduces kidney inflammation, repairs glomerular damage, thus preventing protein leakage in the urine. This restores water balance of the body and brings down edema. Chances of relapse and recurrence go down with homoeopathy treatment. Homoeopathy medicines also assist in treatment of causative diseases such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, tuberculosis and SLE. In a situation, where kidney damage has progressed too far, homoeopathy prevents further progress of disease and deterioration of the condition in future.

Dr. John D Rodrigues, Classical Homoeopath is on the Professional Committee of the Health Promotion Trust and can be contacted on 9821173894 /55228505.