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What is the BUN test?

BUN is a common blood test that tells important information about how well the kidneys and liver are functioning. It is the blood urea nitrogen test that measures the urea nitrogen in the blood.

This is how the body typically makes and gets rid of urea nitrogen:

• The liver breaks down protein used by the body’s cells and generates ammonia which contains nitrogen.
• The nitrogen when it amalgamates with other elements, such as oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, etc, forms urea which is a chemical waste.
• The urea travels from the liver to the kidneys via the bloodstream.
• Healthy kidneys excrete urea and remove other waste products from the blood.
• The filtered waste products are eliminated through the urine after the blood filtration process.

The BUN test reveals whether the urea nitrogen levels are higher than normal indicating that your kidney or liver function is not accurate. It is either the liver producing too much nitrogen or the kidneys not excreting BUN properly. We recommend patients ayurvedic medicine for high BUN level when the reason is a sort of kidney damage.

Why is BUN usually suggested?

You may need a blood urea nitrogen test, in case:

• If your doctor suspects that you have kidney disease
• Or to evaluate the kidney function
• To know how dialysis is performing in the excretion of waste such as BUN
• As a part of a blood test to help diagnose a number of conditions, such as an obstruction in the urinary tract, liver damage, congestive heart failure, or gastrointestinal bleeding. But only when other factors are taken into consideration, you can confirm any of these conditions.

If your doctor has recommended BUN as a part of the evaluation of kidney function, the creatinine levels will likely also be checked. Creatinine is another chemical waste product in the blood that ought to be eliminated by the kidneys. High levels of creatinine in your blood indicate kidney disease.

Further evaluation of kidney function be done with the help of glomerular filtration rate. GFR can better tell how your kidneys are working on a per-minute basis. It is done with the help of an estimated glomerular filtration rate or GFR. The GFR estimates the percentage of kidney function you are left with. Based on GFR, the doctor determines the stage of chronic kidney disease.

In addition, the BUN levels are checked if one is experiencing symptoms of advanced-stage kidney disease, such as:

• Urinating frequently or infrequently
• Itching
• Recurring fatigue
• Swelling in your arms, legs, or feet
• Muscle cramps
• Trouble sleeping
• Pain in the area of kidneys
• Blood in the urine
• Foaminess while passing urine

Generally, if BUN levels remain abnormal for a time being, you need to be on ayurvedic medicine for a high BUN level. Ayurvedic medicines help to revive kidney function and so strengthen their capacity to eliminate waste more accurately.

How you prepare
If you are undergoing a blood urea nitrogen test only, you can eat or drink like normal. If you need any additional testing, you may be required to fasten for a certain amount of time for the test. The doctor will instruct you on how to do this.

What you can expect
During the test, the lab technician will start by inserting a needle into a vein in the arm. The blood sample is then sent to the lab for analysis. After that, you can return to your usual activities immediately.

Results
Blood urea nitrogen is measured in millimoles per liter. In general, BUN number around 7 to 20 mg/dL is considered normal.
Urea nitrogen levels tend to increase as you age. Infants have lower levels than other individuals while in children BUN range varies.
Generally, a high blood urea nitrogen commits to unhealthy kidney function. Also, one may have temporarily elevated blood urea nitrogen due to:

• Urinary tract obstruction
• Congestive heart failure or heart attack
• Gastrointestinal bleeding
• Dehydration, resulting from not drinking enough fluids
• Shock
• Severe burns
• Certain medications, such as some antibiotics
• Consuming a diet rich in protein

What are the risks of a BUN test?
BUN tests usually involve no risks and you can return to normal activities after the test. Tell your doctor if you are already taking medications for some other reason such as blood thinners. This may cause more bleeding than normal during the test.

Side effects associated with a BUN test include:

• Bleeding and bruising at the puncture site
• Blood accumulation under the skin
• Infection at the puncture site
• In rare cases, people become lightheaded or faint after having blood drawn. Notify your doctor if you experience any unexpected or prolonged side effects after the test.

The takeaway
BUN test is a simple blood test commonly used to check kidney function. Abnormally high or low BUN levels do not always indicate impaired kidney function as other factors are also taken into account at this time.

In case, your kidney function is not accurate, you must take ayurvedic medicines for a high BUN level. BUN levels will automatically come down if the kidneys filter start to perform well. Along with BUN, other waste will also be removed naturally and you have a healthy functional body.

Get yourself ayurvedic treatment for a high BUN level now!

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