Polycystic kidney disease is a condition in which cysts, or round sacs filled with fluid, grow on the kidneys. Over time, this can cause the kidneys to stop working.
Despite the name, polycystic kidney disease can also cause cysts to grow throughout the body, including in the liver and pancreas.
Polycystic kidney disease usually runs in families, so you're at a higher risk of developing this condition if a relative has it.
In the early stages, this condition often doesn't cause symptoms. When it does start to cause symptoms, they may include:
- High blood pressure
- Blood in your urine
- Stomach pain
- Side or back pain
- Feeling of fullness
- Kidney stones
- Headaches
- A distended stomach
- Kidney infections
- Kidney failure
Medication for high blood pressure and lifestyle changes - such as a low-salt diet, regular exercise, quitting smoking, and reducing alcohol intake - can help limit damage to your kidneys. There are also medications that can help slow down how fast the cysts grow.