Here are a list of signs which indicate that your kidneys are not working properly. How many of these signals have your body been sending to you?
1. Bad breath
When your kidneys aren’t on top of their filtering duties, waste products often show up in unexpected places. In fact, Jennifer Schau, DDS, notes on her website that when your kidneys are unable to filter out the excess urea in your bloodstream, you may notice a “foul odor” being emitted from your mouth—in other words, you have bad breath.
2. Nausea
When a kidney stone moves from your kidney to your ureter, it can block the passing of urine. When this happens, Ramin says you may experience “swelling and pain, which can be accompanied by nausea and vomiting.”
3. Side pain
Kidney stones, which are hard deposits of salt and minerals that form inside the kidney, can be extremely painful when they pass through the ureter and bladder. In fact, according to Los Angeles-based urologist S. Adam Ramin, MD, the pain is often “compared to [that] of childbirth.” The Mayo Clinic says that you’ll know the pain you’re experiencing is from kidney stones when it’s in your side and back and comes in waves, not unlike a kidney infection.
4. Back pain
One of the first noticeable signs you might have a kidney issue is having back pain. Since your kidneys are actually higher up in your abdomen underneath your ribcage, a kidney infection can cause intense pain in the middle to upper back area, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Depending on the severity of the infection, this pain can also spread to the abdomen and groin.
5. Frequent urination
If you find yourself heading to the restroom with increased frequency, it could be a sign that something is up with your kidneys. “If the kidney filters are damaged, it can cause an urge to urinate, especially at night,” says Renee Matthews, MD. Considering that frequent urination is also associated with health issues like diabetes and urinary tract infections, this symptom definitely merits a trip to the doctor.
6. Having dry and itchy skin
Healthy kidneys do tremendous work by removing waste and extra fluid from the blood, helping produce red blood cells, and maintaining the proper amount of minerals in your body. Itchy and dry skin signal the failure of kidneys to maintain the right balance of minerals and nutrients which can result in bone and kidney disease.
7. Swelling in ankles, feet and hands
Kidneys that are failing to perform properly don’t remove any extra fluid from the body. This leads to sodium retention which causes swelling in your ankles, feet and hands. Swelling of the lower parts of your body can also signal heart and liver disease or leg vein problems.
8. Swelling around your eyes
According to the Mayo Clinic, kidney disease can create “extra fluid and sodium in your circulation,” which leads to swelling in different areas of the body—often around the eyes when the issue is kidney-related. In the case of nephrotic syndrome, in which too much protein is secreted through the urine, swelling also occurs due to lower levels of albumin in the blood.
9. Loss of appetite
If your favorite foods suddenly seem less appetizing, you might be dealing with a kidney issue. According to the National Kidney Foundation, “a buildup of toxins resulting from reduced kidney function” can result in a decreased appetite.
10. High blood pressure
Your circulatory system and kidneys depend on each other. The kidneys have small nephrons that filter waste and extra fluids from the blood. If the blood vessels get damaged, the nephrons that filter your blood don’t receive enough oxygen and nutrients. That’s why high blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure.
11. Headaches, fatigue and general weakness
Healthy and properly functioning kidneys convert Vitamin D in our bodies to maintain strong bones and to produce a hormone called Erythropoietin (EPO). This hormone plays an important role in the production of red blood cells. When kidneys don’t function properly, they produce less EPO. The decline of red blood cells (those that carry oxygen) results in rapid fatigue of your muscles and brain.
12. Constipation
Though kidney problems often affect your body’s urinary tract, they can sometimes cause problems with your bowels, as well. According to oncologist Przemyslaw Twardowski, MD, kidney cancer can cause “disturbances in body chemistry”—namely, an overabundance of calcium in the bloodstream—that can lead to constipation. If you’re experiencing this issue and think it’s a sign of a bigger problem, talk to your primary care provider about having your calcium levels checked.
13. Blood in your urine
According to Matthews, this is another common symptom of kidney disease. If you notice blood in your urine or you notice it looks even a little bit red or brown, it’s important that you get to a doctor before any potential problems get worse.
14. Frequent urination
If you find yourself heading to the restroom with increased frequency, it could be a sign that something is up with your kidneys. “If the kidney filters are damaged, it can cause an urge to urinate, especially at night,” says Renee Matthews, MD. Considering that frequent urination is also associated with health issues like diabetes and urinary tract infections, this symptom definitely merits a trip to the doctor.
15. High blood sugar
According to the National Kidney Foundation, diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, accounting for 44 percent of new cases. Due to the toll diabetes takes on the kidneys as a result of the damage it does to the body’s red blood cells, diabetics are also at risk of developing diabetic kidney disease, a condition that further reduces kidney function.
Subscribe by Email
Follow Updates Articles from This Blog via Email
No Comments