It is estimated that 1 in 10 individuals around the world suffers from some form of kidney disease. It is also said that people with diabetes and hypertension are considered most at risk of developing kidney disease. And with India having the highest burden of diabetes and hypertension in the world, a huge chunk of our population is predisposed to having a kidney disorder or problem.
What is scarier is the fact that tons of people around the world and in India are suffering from kidney disease but most don’t even know it.
Most physical symptoms of kidney diseases are often attributed to other diseases, and often these symptoms appear very late in the disease when both the kidneys have failed.
Kidney damage can be of two types. It may be sudden, also known as acute, which may be reversible. However, more often individuals diagnosed with kidney disease have irreversible damage to both kidneys, also known as chronic kidney disease.
Being aware of the signs and symptoms that indicate a possible kidney disease can help individuals take proactive steps and get timely treatment done.
10 Signs That May Indicate Kidney Disease
1. Feeling tired or fatigued very often: A severe decrease in kidney function can lead to the accumulation of harmful toxins in the blood. This can cause people to feel tired, weak and drowsy.
People with kidney disease also suffer from anaemia or decreased haemoglobin in the blood, which can cause weakness and fatigue.
2. Swelling of the ankles and feet: Decreased kidney function can lead to sodium and water retention, causing swelling of feet and ankles.
A rapid gain of weight despite a poor appetite may also be a sign of excessive fluid retention in the body. Swelling of the feet can be a sign of several diseases like heart disease, liver disease and chronic leg vein problems.
3. Experiencing persistent puffiness around the eyes: This puffiness around the eyes can be due to the fact that the kidneys are leaking a large amount of protein in the urine, rather than keeping it in the body.
4. Having difficulty in breathing: Especially while walking/doing routine work/exercises. Patients may experience difficulty in sleeping at night due to the feeling of chest congestion/heaviness or inability to breathe while lying down.
Kidneys remove excess water from the body via urine. In patients with kidney disease, fluid builds up in the body and this extra fluid can collect in the lungs, decreasing the person’s ability to breathe, especially on doing any kind of exertion or on lying down.
5. Need to urinate frequently: The need to urinate more often, especially at night, can be a sign of kidney disease.
Urinary infections also tend to cause the urge to urinate frequently at very short intervals, accompanied by pain or burning sensation while urinating. Men suffering from enlarged prostate glands can also have the urge to urinate frequently and a feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder.
Thus, if anyone is experiencing this symptom, it could indicate any disease and it is advisable to consult a doctor.
6. Presence of blood in the urine or “reddish colour in urine”: Normal urine does not have blood red blood cells in it, but when the kidney's filters have been damaged, blood cells "leak" out into the urine. In addition to kidney disease, blood in the urine can be indicative of tumours, kidney stones or an infection.
7. Foamy urine or frothing in urine or “excessive soap-like bubbles in urine”: Excessive bubbles in the urine –especially those that require one to flush several times before they go away, often indicate protein in the urine.
This foam may look like the foam one sees when scrambling eggs, as the common protein found in urine, albumin, is the same protein that is found in eggs.
8. Decreased appetite (don’t feel like eating food) or feeling nauseous: Accumulation of harmful toxins due to decreased kidney function can cause suppression of appetite and feeling of nausea.
Nausea and vomiting, along with fever may also be a sign of urinary infection. However, patients suffering from kidney failure are often malnourished.
9. Dry and itchy skin: Healthy kidneys remove wastes and extra fluid from the body along with maintaining the balance of electrolytes and minerals in the blood.
Dry and itchy skin is a sign of mineral and bone disease that accompanies advanced kidney disease when the kidneys are no longer able to keep the right balance of minerals and nutrients in the blood.
10. Difficult to control blood pressure: Being diagnosed as having very high blood pressure or a sudden rise in blood pressure which was previously well controlled on medications – may be a sign of underlying kidney disease.
Disclaimer: This article is written by the Practitioner for informational and educational purposes only. The content presented on this page should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. Please "DO NOT SELF-MEDICATE" and seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns. Practo will not be responsible for any act or omission arising from the interpretation of the content present on this page.