10 Symptoms Of Kidney Disease You Should Know
Chronic kidney failure is a disease that has no symptoms from its early stages, so many people could be suffering from it right now without knowing it. It can take a long time for chronic kidney disease (CKD) to show symptoms of kidney disease. That is why it is so important to identify them, to go to the doctor as soon as possible.
Like many other diseases, early detection is key to finding timely treatment that helps improve quality of life. For this reason, experts recommend educating yourself on the subject and learning to know what are the symptoms of kidney disease that alert you to a failure or any other problem related to the kidneys.
Symptoms of kidney disease you should know
1. Changes in urination
It is one of the first symptoms of kidney disease that indicates that the kidneys are beginning to fail. This can be detected when the following changes start to appear:
- The patient is forced to get up to urinate several times during the night.
- Urine looks foamy or has bubbles.
- Urination increases and they have a pale color or, conversely, urination is reduced and the color of the urine is stronger.
- The patient has difficulty urinating or incontinence.
- Urine contains blood.
2. Swelling
Another symptom of kidney disease is swelling. When the kidneys do not work properly, the person suffers fluid retention and, as a consequence, begins to suffer swelling in the legs, ankles, feet, face and hands.
This symptom can indicate other types of diseases, that is, it does not necessarily indicate that there is a kidney problem. Therefore, it is best to see a doctor, especially if this symptom is accompanied by another of those that will be mentioned below.
3. Fatigue, one of the possible symptoms of kidney disease
The kidneys play a very important role in our body, so a failure in them can lead to serious health problems.
One of the functions of this important organ is to produce a hormone called erythropoietin, which is responsible for causing the body to produce red blood cells to transport oxygen to the blood. When the kidney fails, the production of erythropoietin decreases and, as a consequence, the person may feel tired, sore muscles, difficulty thinking and concentrating, among other symptoms.
As this publication of the Electronic Medical Journal of Ciego de Ávila MediCiego points out , a treatment with erythropoietin can prevent kidney disease from progressing.
4. Skin rash and itching
Another of the symptoms of kidney disease that we can confuse with a simple dermatitis is a skin rash. The kidneys have the function of eliminating waste from the blood and all those toxins that our body does not need.
When the kidneys begin to fail, they stop doing their job well and all that waste begins to accumulate in the blood that will cause skin eruptions and an itch that can be exasperating.
5. Metallic taste in the mouth
As we have seen, when the kidneys do not do their job and waste begins to accumulate in our body, a series of symptoms begin to surface. In addition to itching, a metallic taste may appear in the mouth, as this study published in Duazary in 2016 points out.
However, some patients also have a very characteristic kind of bad breath or ammonia breath. They can even go to the point of losing their taste for meat and start to lose a lot of weight because their appetite is suppressed.
More symptoms of kidney disease you should know
6. Nausea and vomiting
Due to the wastes that accumulate in the blood and cannot be eliminated properly due to the kidney problem, patients can experience very unpleasant symptoms such as nausea and vomiting.
These can accelerate weight loss, as well as promote loss of appetite. On many occasions, you have vitamin deficiencies that can lead to major problems.
7. Shortness of breath
Another of the symptoms of kidney disease has to do with when we have a serious difficulty catching our breath after climbing stairs or simply walking. When there is difficulty catching your breath, the kidneys can be related in two ways:
- Fluids that the body is unable to get rid of accumulate in the lungs.
- Anemia problems that occur due to a lack of red blood cells and vitamin deficiencies, as this study published in the Medical Journal of the Mexican Social Security Institute points out .
8. Feeling cold
Another symptom of kidney disease associated with anemia is feeling cold. This is due to how weak the person is. He has no energy or strength and nothing seems to make the situation better.
Despite the fact that it is hot or that we are in the middle of summer, the person who suffers from this disease will feel an excessive cold that can lead them to experience chills.
9. Dizziness and difficulty concentrating
Suffering from anemia due to a kidney failure problem causes the person to start to have memory problems, since not enough oxygen is transported to the brain. This same fact can make the person unable to concentrate and feel constant dizziness. This will significantly affect your studies or work.
10. Pain in the side
The last of the symptoms of kidney disease is pain in the back or side, either when the patient is sitting or when going to the bathroom. This condition is related to polycystic kidney disease and can sometimes indicate a liver problem.
Early diagnosis of kidney disease symptoms is important
Have you ever experienced any of these symptoms? Was the diagnosis kidney disease? In the presence of any of the symptoms we have mentioned, it is important to see a doctor. An early diagnosis will prevent these from continuing to evolve.
