10 Early Symptoms of Kidney Disease

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Millions of people live with numerous kidney diseases without even batting their eyes. Until the disease has progressed far enough, illness remains mostly undiagnosed. This is why, kidney diseases are frequently referred to as a “Silent Killer.” While people routinely have their blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol levels tested, many neglect a basic blood creatinine test done to look for any hidden kidney issues.

The symptoms of kidney disease are frequently ignored when they first appear, and by the time most individuals take them seriously, the damage has already been done.

The easiest approach to determine if you have renal disease is to get checked annually, especially if you have high blood pressure, are older than 60, and have a history of kidney disease in your family.

We spoke with several experts to learn the most prevalent early signs of kidney illness so you can be ready for your upcoming checkup.

What are the top 10 Symptoms of Kidney Disease?

1. Fatigue and lack of concentration
2. Inconsistent sleeping patterns
3. Dryness and itchy skin
4. Frequent urination
5. Bloody urine
6. Foamy urine
7. Puffy eyes
8. Swollen feet and ankles
9. Difficulty breathing
10. Muscle Cramps

Let’s go over each of these in detail:

1. Fatigue and Lack of Concentration

When kidney function is affected, it leads to a buildup of impurities and toxins in the blood. This can often make people feel fatigued, weak, or tired. It can also affect your concentration levels. Another reason why you may feel weakness is due to anemia, which is also the result of a dysfunctional kidney.

2. Inconsistent Sleeping Patterns

Chronic kidney disease often leads to difficulty sleeping or sleep apnea. As the kidney finds difficulty in filtering the toxins through urine, the toxins and impurities in the blood can make it difficult to get a sound sleep or face inconsistent sleeping patterns.

If you have trouble sleeping for weeks in a row, you must see a doctor and get a kidney test done.

3. Dryness and Itchy Skin

Healthy kidneys perform several functions in our body to keep it running smoothly and our immune system strong. Apart from filtering toxins from our body, it also keeps our bones strong, produces red blood cells, and provides minerals to our body.

Having dry and itchy skin is often a result of mineral deficiency and bone diseases accompanied by acute kidney disease, where the kidney cannot balance minerals and nutrients in the body. Hence, it is best to get a health checkup done if you are suffering from dry and itchy skin.

4. Frequent Urination

It could be an early symptom of kidney disease if you feel a constant need to urinate frequently, especially at night. This usually happens when the kidney filter isn’t fully functional. This is also an early sign of urine infection or enlarged prostate in men. Therefore, it is advisable to seek medical help if you are suffering from an increased urge to urinate.

5. Bloody Urine

Healthy kidneys filter the toxins and impurities from the blood and form urine, keeping the blood in the body. However, if these filters are affected, blood may leak with urine. This is not a good sign and can indicate other diseases such as tumors, infections, or kidney stones and should be treated immediately.

6. Foamy Urine

If you notice excessive bubbles in the urine or a foamy texture, this indicates an excessive amount of protein in the urine. If the kidney is affected and unable to keep the protein in the body, it leaks out with the urine. This is an uncommon phenomenon and should be taken care of by getting a kidney test.

7. Puffy Eyes

If you observe excessive foaminess in your urine, indicating your kidneys cannot maintain a balance of protein and minerals in the body, this can lead to certain physical symptoms showing up, such as consistent puffiness around the eyes and a tired feeling. As the proteins leak out with the urine, there is a natural disbalance in the body’s nutrient content which can lead to these symptoms.

8. Swollen Feet and Ankles

Due to reduced kidney functions, the kidney faces difficulty removing excess sodium and fluid from the body, leading to swollen hands, feet, and ankles.

9. Difficulty Breathing

A symptom that occurs in the later stage when fluids get stored in the lungs, as the kidney filter is damaged, is shortness of breath. Chronic kidney disease-induced anemia, with a shortage of oxygen-carrying red blood cells, can also lead to breathlessness.

10. Cramped Muscles

Impaired kidney functions often lead to electrolyte imbalances in the body which causes cramping in muscles. If you’re suffering from frequent muscle cramp issues, you should go for a health checkup.

Know the Symptoms of Kidney Disease and Get Quality Treatment

With medical science bringing up newer treatments and solutions to kidney diseases, we must go for a checkup if we face any symptoms of kidney disease and get treated at an early stage. With Ayu Health, you can get professional treatment for kidney disease from experienced doctors and live healthily! However, it is important to get treated on time for successful results.

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