Acute kidney failure is a serious condition where the kidneys suddenly lose their ability to filter waste and excess fluids from the blood. Often, treatment for acute kidney failure, especially if severe, requires hospitalization. If there aren’t any other problems, the kidneys may heal themselves.

In most other cases, acute kidney failure can be treated if it’s caught early. It may involve changes to your diet, the use of medications, IV fluids, relief of anything that's blocking kidneys, or even dialysis.

• Diet. Your doctor will limit the amount of salt and potassium you get until your kidneys heal. That’s because both of these substances are removed from your body through your kidneys. Changing how and what you eat won’t reverse acute kidney failure. But your doctor may change your diet while they treat the conditions that caused it. This may mean treating a health problem such as heart failure, taking you off certain medications, or giving you fluids through an IV if you’re dehydrated. If your doctor has put you on a low-potassium diet, you’ll need to cut back on high-potassium foods such as bananas, spinach, oranges, potatoes, and tomatoes. On the other hand, you can eat more low-potassium foods such as apples, strawberries, grapes, and cauliflower.

• Medications. Your doctor may prescribe medicines that regulate the amount of phosphorus and potassium in your blood. When your kidneys fail, they can’t remove these substances from your body. Medications won’t help your kidneys, but they may reduce some of the problems kidney failure causes.

• Dialysis. If your kidney damage is severe enough, you may require hemodialysis until your kidneys can heal. Dialysis does not help kidneys heal but takes over the work of kidneys until they do. If your kidneys don't heal, dialysis could be long-term.

Foods that may help repair kidneys :

It's important to maintain a well-balanced diet that's high in vitamins and nutrients and low in sodium.

Fruits such as pomegranates, strawberries, blueberries, apples, cherries, and acai berries are all superfoods that can help manage kidney disease. Other foods include:

• Tofu

• Low-phosphorus cheese

• Nuts and seeds

• Whole grains

• Avocado

• Spices and herbs

• Beans

• Root vegetables such as carrots and onions

• Leafy greens

• Squash

• Alternative milk (vs. cow milk)

• Healthy oils and fats

• Tomatoes

• Broccoli

• Fish

• Flax and chia seeds

• Yoghurt

• Eggs

• Shellfish

Acute Kidney Failure Complications

Acute kidney failure can sometimes cause complications. These include:

• Fluid buildup. Acute kidney failure can sometimes cause a buildup of fluid in your body. If fluid builds up in your lungs, this can cause shortness of breath.

• Chest pain. If the lining that covers your heart becomes inflamed, you may have chest pain.

• Acidic blood (metabolic acidosis). If your blood has too much acid due to acute kidney failure, you can end up with nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, and breathlessness.

• Muscle weakness. When your body's fluids and electrolytes are out of balance, you can get muscle weakness. In serious cases, this can lead to paralysis and heart rhythm problems.

• Permanent kidney damage. Acute kidney failure can become chronic, and your kidneys will stop working almost completely. This is called end-stage renal disease. If this happens, you will need to go on permanent dialysis (to filter your blood and remove toxins) or get a kidney transplant.

• Death. Acute Kidney Injury Treatment can lead to severe loss of kidney function, which can even cause death.