7 Early Warning Signs of Kidney Disease

While the only way to know if you have kidney disease is to get tested, but here are 7 possible signs that prove that you may have kidney disease. If you’re at risk for kidney disease due to high blood pressure, diabetes, a family history of kidney failure or if you’re older than age 60, it’s important to get kidney treatment at regular intervals. Be sure to mention any symptoms of kidney failure to your doctor.

• You’re more tired, have less energy or are having trouble concentrating

A severe decrease in kidney function can lead to a buildup of toxins and impurities in the blood. This can cause people to feel tired and weak. Another complication of kidney disease is anemia, which can cause weakness and fatigue.

• You’re having trouble sleeping

When the kidneys aren’t filtering properly, toxins stay in the blood rather than leaving the body through the urine. This can cause difficulty in sleeping. There is also a link between obesity and chronic kidney disease. So it’s important to keep a check of your weight.

• You have dry and itchy skin

Healthy kidneys do many important jobs. They help in removing wastes and extra fluid from your body. Dry and itchy skin can be a sign of the mineral and bone disease that often accompanies advanced kidney disease, when the kidneys are no longer able to keep the right balance of minerals and nutrients in your blood.

• You feel the need to urinate more often

If you feel the need to urinate more often, especially at night, this can be a sign of kidney disease. When the kidney filters are damaged, it can cause an increase in the urge to urinate.

• You spot blood in your urine

Healthy kidneys typically keep the blood cells in the body when filtering wastes from the blood to create urine, but when the kidney’s filters have been damaged, these blood cells can start to leak out into the urine.

• Your ankles and feet are swollen

Decreased kidney function can lead to sodium retention, causing swelling in your feet and ankles.

• You have a poor appetite

This can be a general symptom but a buildup of toxins resulting from reduced kidney function can be one of the causes.

Equipped with some of the finest kidney specialists and world-class amenities, NU Hospitals has positioned itself as one of the best kidney hospitals in India.