13 Common Signs You May Have Kidney Disease
jyotsana raoBeauty & Lifestyle Writer 
Experience: 4 yearsJyotsana Rao is an engineering graduate from NIT, Nagpur, who discovered her love for writing during her undergraduate days. She is passionate about writing about everything related to beauty - makeup... more
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A majority of the world’s population is suffering from kidney disease, and the worst part is – they are not aware of it. This is because unlike other diseases, kidney disease does not show any specific or major symptoms until they reach an advanced state.
While the only way you can determine whether you are suffering from kidney disease is by undergoing tests, there are a few physical signs that serve as warning indicators. Mentioned below are 13 common signs that you must watch out for.
1. You Feel Tired Most Of The Time.
The malfunctioning of the kidneys can cause a build-up of toxins and other impurities in the blood, and will make you feel tired and lethargic. You will not have sufficient energy to perform any physical task. You will also be unable to concentrate on anything properly. This is because kidney diseases deplete the levels of oxygen in the brain, and this causes dizziness and trouble in concentrating. Thus, any complication in your kidneys can lead to weakness. If these symptoms occur all of a sudden, you must visit your doctor immediately.
2. You Have Lost Your Appetite.
A poor appetite is a very common symptom of kidney disease that is usually caused due to a build-up of toxins in the kidney. However, loss of appetite can be due to many other reasons as well. This is why it is recommended to get your tests done on time so that any serious issues can be diagnosed.
3. You Notice Puffiness Around Your Eyes.
You might be wondering how puffiness around the eyes is related to kidney failure, right? The answer is – one of the most clear symptoms of failure or damage of the kidney filters is the presence of protein in urine. When there is a large amount of protein leakage from the body, it causes puffiness around the eyes.
4. You Have Trouble Sleeping.
When the kidneys don’t function properly, the toxins get accumulated in the blood instead of getting flushed out of the body through urine. This causes disturbed sleep.
5. You Notice Drops Of Blood While Urinating.
When your kidneys are healthy, they keep the healthy blood cells in the body while expelling the wastes and toxins. But when the kidney filters get damaged, these blood cells leak and pass through your urine. Blood drops in urine can also be an indication of kidney stones, tumors, or any other infection. Thus, if you notice any such thing, visit your doctor immediately.
6. Your Urine is Unusually Foamy.
By foamy urine, we mean you can notice excessive bubbles in the urine much more than normal. The urine is sometimes so foamy that you need to flush several times to make it go away completely. Foam in the urine indicates the presence of excess protein.
7. You Feel The Urge To Urinate Quite Often.
Usually, on an average, we tend to pee 7-8 times in a day (it can be more as well, it depends on the water intake). But, if you feel the urge to pee quite frequently, especially during the night, this is a clear sign that your kidney filters are damaged. Damage in the kidney filters increases the urge to urinate, and it could also be a sign of a urinary infection.
8. Your Joints, Feet, And Ankles Are Swollen.
When the functioning of the kidney is abnormal, it leads to sodium retention. The sodium retention, in turn, causes swelling in the joints, ankles, and feet. However, swelling in the lower parts of your body can also be an indication of heart or liver disease.
9. You Have Muscle Cramps Frequently.
When our kidneys don’t function properly, it leads to an electrolyte imbalance in the body. And the most obvious cause of muscle cramps in the body is an imbalance in the levels of calcium and phosphorus.
10. Your Skin Becomes Dry And Itchy.
A normal and healthy pair of kidneys perform many tasks for the body. They help in removing toxins and wastes from the body, maintain the right amount of minerals in the body, promote healthy and strong bones, and make red blood cells. Apart from all these functions, they also help in maintaining healthy and hydrated skin. Thus, dry and itchy skin is an indication that your kidneys are no longer able to maintain the right balance of minerals and nutrients in the body. Itching usually happens when there is an accumulation of uric acid and other waste products and build-up on the skin.
11. You Experience Nausea And Vomiting.
You feel nauseated because your kidneys are letting the waste products pile up in your body. As a result, your body is forced to expel this garbage (toxins and build-up) through vomiting. It sometimes causes shortness of breath too.
12. You Have A Bad Taste In Your Mouth.
When the kidneys are unable to remove the toxins from the body, they accumulate in the body in the form of uremia, and this causes a bad and metallic taste in your mouth. You will also notice a change in your taste buds, and thus, you end up eating less, leading to weight loss.
13. Your Hemoglobin Level Falls.
Our kidneys produce a hormone called erythropoietin (EPO) that produces red blood cells. Damaged kidneys cannot produce enough EPO, which again leads to anemia.
Now that you know the most obvious symptoms, why wait till your kidneys are damaged to go see a doctor? Science says that we can easily deal with kidney-related diseases if diagnosed at an early stage.
So, NOW is the time to see your health practitioner and get the tests done to assess your kidney function.
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