Main Symptoms Of Kidney Problems

It is essential to know how to recognize the symptoms of kidney disease in order to obtain an early diagnosis, so that treatment can be started as soon as possible.
Main symptoms of kidney problems

Did you know that most people who suffer from kidney problems are not aware of it? This is because the first symptoms are barely noticeable. It can take many years before signs of kidney failure and kidney disease appear.

Therefore, in this article we will talk about the main symptoms of kidney problems. Check out!

Knowledge Is Power: Signs of Possible Kidney Problems

Doctors say that patients, whether or not they are aware of kidney disease, no matter what stage their disease is in, need to know the symptoms so they can act quickly. Thus, it will be possible to carry out more effective and shorter treatments.

Next, learn about the most common signs of kidney failure. If you suffer from at least three of them, it’s vital that you don’t worry unnecessarily and that you see a doctor for blood and urine tests, which will be critical in the diagnosis.

Likewise, it is necessary to consider that many of the symptoms, which we will mention below, are not related only to kidney problems, which is why it is important to know them. Are they:

  • Frequency of urination: When the kidneys fail, the first sign is noticed in the urine. Visits to the bathroom to urinate, especially at night, increase.
  • Appearance of Urine: Urine, or pee, is frothy and blistered. It can also become paler or very yellowish. In the most urgent cases, it may show traces of blood.
  • Incontinence: There may be episodes of urinary incontinence (not holding back the urge to pee) and the person may feel a lot of pressure in the lower part of the pelvis.
  • Swelling: When the kidneys aren’t working well, they can’t get rid of extra fluids, which accumulate in the body and cause inflammation in the legs, ankles, hands, and face.
  • Rash or itching: Waste and toxins from the blood are eliminated through the kidneys. When they don’t work properly, waste builds up in the bloodstream and this “intoxication” can cause severe itching.

Constant feeling of fatigue

Healthy kidneys produce a hormone called erythropoietin. This hormone is responsible for the production of red blood cells, which are in charge of transporting oxygen to the blood.

As the kidney organs fail, the production of this hormone slows down, so the muscles and mind tire faster than usual. Patients without the energy or desire to do something sleep a lot, feel exhausted, debilitated, exhausted, even when they don’t make much effort.

This condition is known as anemia, which most often is also caused by a lack of iron in the diet.

Learn to detect kidney problems

Other Symptoms of Kidney Problems

  • Metallic taste in the mouth or ammonia-flavored breath: these same wastes accumulated in the blood (which we call uremia) cause the taste of food to change and cause halitosis. Some patients may notice that they no longer like the taste of food or that they lose weight because they no longer feel like eating as before. The taste in the mouth at any time of the day can be disgusting and brushing your teeth, gargling, chewing gum, among other options sought at that time, does not solve the problem.
  • Nausea and vomiting: again, the cause is uremia, which can also cause loss of appetite, weight (several kilos), and make the stomach unable to retain food or liquid, rejecting everything that is ingested.
  • Shortness of breath: Difficulty breathing can be related to a failure in the lungs, caused in two different ways. First, because excess fluid, which the body cannot eliminate, also accumulates in the lungs. Second, because anemia (lack of red blood cells that carry oxygen to the blood) makes the body weak, causing shortness of breath. This shortness of breath is felt without the patient having exercised or exerted himself.
  • Cold at any time of year: Anemia can make a person feel cold even if they are hot, or well covered. Drinking hot tea or coffee, or taking a hot shower, are options that don’t usually solve the problem. In a summer with high temperatures, it is possible for the patient to feel very cold, whether at home, on the street or at work. Chills, numbness in the limbs and cold sweat are related symptoms.
  • Dizziness and difficulty concentrating: Anemia caused by kidney failure means that the mind is not getting enough oxygen. The consequence of this can be inconveniences for us to remember something, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, etc. Thus, not remembering what you did the week before, forgetting a family member’s name or feeling dizzy all the time can become frequent situations.
Back Pain Can Be Kidney Problem

Back pain: common symptom

Some people who suffer from kidney problems and don’t know it can attribute back pain to exertion, poor posture at work, or even a poor night’s sleep.

However, when this pain is constant, it has another meaning. The discomfort, puncture, cramps that are located in the lower back and even pain in the legs, can mean problems related to the kidneys. This is the case with renal polycystosis (ie, accumulation of cysts in the kidneys or liver). This problem also tends to cause great pain in the region.

Images: wonderferret, Hey Paul Studios, MilitaryHealth and Betsy Weber.

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