Latest

Monday , 23 December 2024

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

Top 10 Symptoms of Kidney Problems That Most People Ignore

  • Author by Raazi
  • Reviewed By Raazi
  • Last Edited : September 1, 2024
Share

The kidneys are regarded as one of the most significant organs in the human body. They rid the body of all toxins and impurities and ensure that all of the body’s systems continue to function properly.

You might feel some changes in your body that may be the symptoms of kidney problems. This article lists down these specific symptoms of kidney problems.

This could lead to symptoms of kidney problems such as ankle edema, nausea, weakness, disturbed sleep, and shortness of breath. Swelling on the face or even all over the body may appear.

If the damage is not treated, it may become more severe, and as a result, our kidneys may eventually stop working properly. That is a serious issue, and it could possibly be fatal.

  • Persistent fatigue can signal kidney problems, often mistaken for general tiredness.
  • Swelling in the ankles or face may indicate kidney-related fluid retention.
  • Changes in urine color or frequency might be a sign of kidney issues.
  • Persistent itching or skin rashes can be related to kidney dysfunction.
  • High blood pressure can both cause and be a symptom of kidney disease.
  • Difficulty concentrating may result from kidney-related toxin buildup.
  • Nausea and loss of appetite might signal kidney problems.
  • Blood in the urine can be an early indicator of kidney issues.
  • Shortness of breath may occur due to fluid buildup from kidney dysfunction.
  • Insomnia or sleep disturbances can be linked to kidney disease.

What Your Kidneys Are Responsible For?

From the moment of our birth, we each have two kidneys. They can be found on either side of our spine, just above the waist, and slightly above hips.

If our kidneys are damaged, waste products and fluid can accumulate in our bodies, which can lead to health problems.

A catastrophe may occur if the kidneys are injured or their function is impaired.

The most important functions our kidney perform are:

  • They make sure that the levels of water and minerals in your blood, including salt, potassium, and phosphorus is kept in a healthy balance. 
  • Renin is produced naturally within your body and plays a role in the control of blood pressure.
  • Develop their own erythropoietin, which is a chemical that tells the body to generate more red blood cells.
  • Produce the active form of vitamin D, which is essential for maintaining healthy bones as well as serving a variety of other functions.

What Can Cause Damage to Your Kidneys?

Despite their relatively small size, the kidneys, which are bean-shaped organs located on either side of your spine, are responsible for a large portion of the process of keeping your body healthy.

They are responsible for producing urine, helping to maintain blood pressure, and filtering the blood to remove excess water and waste products.

If your kidneys become diseased and no longer function normally, this is known as renal disease. 

You might wonder, what can cause damage to your kidneys? Some reasons are:

  • Diseases like heart attack causes your kidneys’ blood flow to be sluggish.
  • A direct harm to your kidneys.

When the ureters, which drain your kidneys’ urine, are obstructed, wastes cannot be expelled from your body via urine.

What Are The First Signs Of Kidney Problems?

Your kidneys are incredibly adaptable in nature. They have the ability to compensate for some of the problems that may occur as a result of renal disease.

As a result, in the event that your renal impairment gets steadily worse over time, you won’t notice any symptoms of kidney problems until much later on.

There’s a chance that you will face these changes in yourself:

Here are various red flags:

Dizziness and Tiredness

Your kidneys are responsible for producing a hormone that gives instructions to your body to produce red blood cells. These cells are responsible for transporting oxygen throughout your body.

If they are not operating as they should, this won’t get done. As a result, you could develop anemia, which is a medical ailment. 

It’s possible that you’ll still feel exhausted after taking a rest. Your capacity to sleep may also be affected in a negative way.

One of the earliest signs of renal illness is weakness in yourself and your health. Toxin buildup in the blood may induce a number of unpleasant symptoms, including dizziness and fatigue.

Anemia, another cause of weariness, is strangely linked to renal problems. Don’t panic if you start feeling unusually tired.

Stress, overwork, and other day-to-day worries may also play a role. 

Edema or Swelling

Your kidneys help maintain a level of equilibrium in the amount of sodium (salt) that is present in your body.

When your organs aren’t working as they should, your body will hold onto more salt.

As a consequence of this, you may have skin swelling in your ankles and feet. It is also possible to observe it in your hands or in the region around your eyes.

There are several causes of swelling, but if your legs, ankles, wrists, or even your eyelids are swollen, it might be an indicator that your kidneys aren’t performing properly.

This is typically caused by electrolyte or nutritional issues that affect normal renal function. Lower extremity swelling may suggest cardiovascular disease, renal failure, or just a lack of blood supply.

Changes in Urination

You may find that you have to urinate more frequently or less frequently than normal. It’s possible that your urine will start to turn colors or become foamy. This suggests that your kidneys are wasting away and releasing protein.

Blood in the urine is another indicator.

 A further possible sign of early kidney impairment is changes in the frequency or amount of urine. Urine changes such as increased or reduced flow, foaming, abnormally pale or dark pee, or even crimson urine may suggest a medical problem.

Your doctor or a local expert will be able to tell you if your symptoms are the result of simple dehydration or the early stages of severe renal dysfunction.

What Are the Other Symptoms of Kidney Problems?

Flaky and parched skin

This condition may arise if your kidneys are unable to keep your blood in the appropriate balance of nutrients and minerals. 

Usually kidney problems lead to edema which results in many types of skin and muscle allergies and sensitivities.

If you feel swelling on your body and continuous skin problems, you should get alarmed.

Gastrointestinal Discomfort

Nausea and a loss of appetite are two symptoms of kidney problems that can be brought on by an increase in the waste products that are produced by the blood.

Weight Loss and Poor Appetite

Compounds that reduce hunger and may impair taste develop in the blood in the early to middle stages of renal disease. It’s possible that once-pleasant foods now taste metallic.

It has been hypothesized that decreased fluid retention causes a drop in body weight.

Swollen ankles, feet or hands – as a result of water retention (Edema)

Edema may affect any area of your body, although it tends to manifest itself more visibly in the hands, arms, feet, ankles, and legs. Your feet and ankles may swell as a result of salt retention brought on by diminished renal function.

Additionally, swelling in the lower limbs may be a symptom of heart illness, liver disease, or persistent leg vein issues.

Shortness of Breath

Shortness of breath may result from an accumulation of fluid in your lungs brought on by acute renal failure. Hypervolemia, or having too much water in your body, is a medical term.

The kidneys’ role in maintaining bodily fluid equilibrium is one of its primary duties.

Your health may suffer if too much fluid accumulates in your body; symptoms of kidney problems include edema and respiratory problems.

Blood in Pee (Urine)

A typical sign of glomerulonephritis, an inflammation of the kidneys’ filtration mechanism, is microscopic urine bleeding. Glomerulonephritis may develop on its own or accompany a systemic illness like diabetes.

Difficulty in Sleeping (insomnia)

Patients with chronic renal disease at all stages often have sleep disturbances, which are also underdiagnosed.

They include periodic limb movement disorder, sleep apnea, excessive daytime drowsiness, and insomnia. They may be connected to comorbid conditions or underlying uremia.

How is Kidney Problem Diagnosed?

Considering the importance of kidney health, you might be asking yourself how kidney disease is detected? If you feel that you may be at risk for kidney disease, you should talk to your primary care provider about getting a kidney function test. In order to determine this, tests on the blood and urine are required

Urine Test For Kidney Function

A urine test is performed to look for any traces of blood by your doctor. In addition to that, they test your urine to see if there is albumin in it. Albumin is a sort of protein.

They can ask for a second test to confirm whether the first one was accurate.

Urine Albumin-to-Creatinine Ratio (UACR)

The UACR test provides the physician with information on the amount of albumin that is excreted into the urine over the course of one day.

A possible diagnosis of renal disease is given by a urine albumin result of 30 or higher.

It is essential that you be aware of: In order to verify the findings of the exam, it could be necessary to take it more than once.

What is the Blood Test For Kidney Function?

During a patient’s blood exam, a waste product known as creatinine may be examined. When kidneys are injured, they have trouble filtering this out of your blood as effectively as normal.

Your doctor will be able to determine how well your kidneys are working depending on the amount of creatinine that is present in your blood, in addition to your age, race, and sex.

This is called “a serum creatinine blood test”.

Is There A Treatment For Kidney Disease?

Infections that affect the kidneys almost never heal themselves. There is a major chance that things may get even worse over time.

It is in your best interest to obtain confirmation as soon as possible that you are the victim of some sort of kidney disease. If you start treatment right away, there is a chance that you can save your kidneys. 

However, there is no “one-size-fits-all” treatment for this illness that will work for everyone. It is dependent on a variety of different things, one of which is the cause of your renal disease.

The likelihood is high that your primary care physician will start by treating any additional conditions you might have. For example, if you want to lower your blood pressure or cholesterol, your doctor may recommend that you begin taking medicine on a daily basis.

How To Prevent Kidney Disease Through Lifestyle Changes?

  • Start a workout routine, and gradually bring yourself down to the weight that’s best for you.
  • Reduce your consumption of salt as well as protein in order to minimize the workload that is placed on your kidneys.
  • Be mindful of the amount of alcohol that you consume.
  • Give up smoking as soon as possible.
  • Do not take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) unless your doctor has prescribed them for you. Your kidneys are going to be affected negatively by these.

It is important that your kidneys keep working for as long as they possibly can. People whose kidneys have stopped functioning properly are required to either undergo dialysis, a process that filters waste out of the blood, or have a kidney transplant.

Takeaway

Kidney disease can impair your body’s ability to cleanse the blood, rid it of extra water, and help control blood pressure, all of which can be detrimental to your overall health.

The production of red blood cells and the metabolism of vitamin D, both of which are essential for maintaining bone health, may also be disrupted. It is possible for kidney disease to go undiagnosed due to the symptoms that it presents with.

It would appear that many of these are indicators of common health problems. It’s likely that more significant symptoms of kidney problems won’t start showing up until after your kidneys have already started failing. Only 10% of people who have chronic renal disease are aware of the true reason.

If you are aware of the warning signs, you will be able to get an early diagnosis and begin treatment, which can help you avoid more serious health problems.

Top 10 Symptoms of Kidney Problems That Most People Ignore

Downloadable Froms

  • downloads from

  • downloads from