Some Symptoms Of Kidney Disease
If you notice any of these symptoms, you may want to check with your doctor. Paying simple attention to your body could save you a lot of pain, money and keep you alive.
Changes in the way you urinate
One of the first symptoms of kidney disease is changes in the number of times you urinate in a day and how much urine you pass each time. These may either increase or reduce, especially at night. It may also look darker, in colour, than usual. You may feel the urge to urinate but are unable to do so when you get to the restroom.
Pain when urinating
Sometimes you have feel pressure or pain when urinating. Urinary tract infections may cause symptoms such as pain or burning during urination. When these infections spread to the kidneys they may cause fever and pain in your back.
Blood in the urine
This is one of the symptoms of kidney disease that you should be very worried about. There may be other reasons, but it is advisable to visit your doctor immediately in case you notice it.
Swelling
Kidneys remove wastes and extra fluid from the body. When they are unable to do so, this extra fluid will cause swelling in your hands, feet, ankles and/or your face.
Fatigue and generalized weakness
Your kidneys produce a hormone called erythropoietin which helps make red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen. In kidney disease, the kidney is unable to produce this hormone and this will reduce the amount of red blood cells the body can produce. This will also reduce the amount of oxygen that gets to the cells and lead to generalized weakness and fatigue.
Dizziness and Inability to concentrate
When the kidney is not able to produce enough red blood cells, the brain suffers. This is because enough oxygen will not be able to get to the brain which may cause dizziness and trouble concentrating.
Feeling cold all the time
If you have kidney disease you may feel cold even when in a warm surrounding due to anemia. Pyelonephritis (kidney infection) may also cause fever with cold.
Skin rashes and itching
Kidney failure causes wastes to build-up in your blood. This can causes serious itching and skin rashes.
Ammonia breath and metallic taste
When the kidney is unable to clear the waste products from the body, these waste products gradually build up. The waste products are broken down to ammonia in the saliva causing urine-like bad breath. It is also usually associated with an unpleasant metallic taste in the mouth.
Nausea and vomiting
The build-up of waste products in your blood can also cause nausea and vomiting.
Difficulty breathing
Kidney disease causes fluid to build up in the lungs. Also, anaemia, a common side-effect of kidney disease, starves the body of oxygen. You may have trouble catching your breath due to these factors.
Pain in the back or sides
Kidney disease may sometimes cause pain. You may feel a severe cramping pain that spreads from the lower back into the groin if there is a kidney stone in the ureter.
It is important to identify kidney disease early because in most cases the damage in the kidneys can’t be undone. To reduce chances of getting severe kidney problems, see your doctor if you observe one or more of the above symptoms. If caught early, kidney disease can be treated very effectively.
Changes in the way you urinate
One of the first symptoms of kidney disease is changes in the number of times you urinate in a day and how much urine you pass each time. These may either increase or reduce, especially at night. It may also look darker, in colour, than usual. You may feel the urge to urinate but are unable to do so when you get to the restroom.
Pain when urinating
Sometimes you have feel pressure or pain when urinating. Urinary tract infections may cause symptoms such as pain or burning during urination. When these infections spread to the kidneys they may cause fever and pain in your back.
Blood in the urine
This is one of the symptoms of kidney disease that you should be very worried about. There may be other reasons, but it is advisable to visit your doctor immediately in case you notice it.
Swelling
Kidneys remove wastes and extra fluid from the body. When they are unable to do so, this extra fluid will cause swelling in your hands, feet, ankles and/or your face.
Fatigue and generalized weakness
Your kidneys produce a hormone called erythropoietin which helps make red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen. In kidney disease, the kidney is unable to produce this hormone and this will reduce the amount of red blood cells the body can produce. This will also reduce the amount of oxygen that gets to the cells and lead to generalized weakness and fatigue.
Dizziness and Inability to concentrate
When the kidney is not able to produce enough red blood cells, the brain suffers. This is because enough oxygen will not be able to get to the brain which may cause dizziness and trouble concentrating.
Feeling cold all the time
If you have kidney disease you may feel cold even when in a warm surrounding due to anemia. Pyelonephritis (kidney infection) may also cause fever with cold.
Skin rashes and itching
Kidney failure causes wastes to build-up in your blood. This can causes serious itching and skin rashes.
Ammonia breath and metallic taste
When the kidney is unable to clear the waste products from the body, these waste products gradually build up. The waste products are broken down to ammonia in the saliva causing urine-like bad breath. It is also usually associated with an unpleasant metallic taste in the mouth.
Nausea and vomiting
The build-up of waste products in your blood can also cause nausea and vomiting.
Difficulty breathing
Kidney disease causes fluid to build up in the lungs. Also, anaemia, a common side-effect of kidney disease, starves the body of oxygen. You may have trouble catching your breath due to these factors.
Pain in the back or sides
Kidney disease may sometimes cause pain. You may feel a severe cramping pain that spreads from the lower back into the groin if there is a kidney stone in the ureter.
It is important to identify kidney disease early because in most cases the damage in the kidneys can’t be undone. To reduce chances of getting severe kidney problems, see your doctor if you observe one or more of the above symptoms. If caught early, kidney disease can be treated very effectively.
Culled and edited. Images: Google
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