10 Signs You May Have Kidney Disease

Your kidneys play a crucial role in your overall health and well-being. Serving as the body’s blood filtration system they help remove waste, toxins and drugs, balance fluid levels, control blood pressure, regulate pH levels, and more. Without them you wouldn’t be able to survive.

There are two types of kidney disease:

Chronic kidney disease (CKD)
CKD is a process that develops over time. Gradually, your kidneys become more and more damaged, losing their ability to function normally. If untreated, CKD can eventually lead to complete kidney failure. With your kidneys unable to perform their duties, dialysis or a kidney transplant is required.

Acute kidney failure
Acute kidney failure (or acute renal failure) on the other hand, is a rapid or sudden loss of kidney function, which can happen over the course of only a few hours or days.

Kidney disease can be difficult to detect on your own, with many symptoms not appearing until advanced stages, once you’ve already lost nearly 90% of your kidney function. Kidney disease can also cause other serious health issues; such as heart disease, heart attack, or stroke.

“Chronic kidney disease is a progressive condition that affects more than 10% of the general population worldwide, amounting to more than 800 million individuals.”

- National Library of Medicine

It’s important that you understand the common signs of kidney disease so you can catch kidney disease earlier. Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing any of these signs.

10 common signs that may indicate you have kidney disease.

1. Foamy Urine
   Albuminuria, a condition caused by excessive amounts of the protein albumin in the urine may cause urine to appear bubbly or foamy and may be an indication of kidney disease. Albumin is found in blood and healthy kidneys don’t allow much of this protein to pass from our blood into the urine.
2. Frequent Urination
   The urge or need to urinate more often, especially at night, can be a symptom of kidney disease or kidney failure.
3. Dark/Unusual Urine Color
   Purple, dark brown, and other dark unusual colored urine, as well as blood in the urine, can be a sign of kidney malfunction.
4. Fatigue
   With the kidneys unable to filter properly, higher levels of toxins and other impurities remain in the bloodstream, causing you to feel tired or sluggish. Anemia, a condition resulting in a reduced amount of oxygen supplied to your organs and tissues—caused by a lack of healthy red blood cells in your blood—may also be to blame.
5. Memory or Concentration Issues
   Similar to #4 above, anemia can also cause issues with concentration and memory, as your brain may not be receiving enough oxygen.
6. Insomnia or Trouble Sleeping
   Chemical imbalances and a build up of waste products circulating in the blood, normally filtered in healthy kidneys and discarded in urine, can cause insomnia or difficulty sleeping.
7. Itchy skin
   Itchy skin is a symptom normally associated with late-stage kidney disease. Electrolyte imbalances, specifically elevated phosphorus levels in the blood, may be responsible.
8. Leg or Ankle Swelling (Oedema)
   Fluid imbalances, sodium filtration issues, and water retention issues—all potential signals of kidney disease—can contribute to a condition known as oedema, a build-up of fluid in the body causing swelling in the legs, ankles, and feet.
9. Decreased Appetite
   A bad taste in your mouth, or metallic taste in your mouth, caused by toxins in your blood—normally filtered out with healthy kidneys—may make eating food or drinking unappealing and lead to loss of appetite.
10. Ammonia Breath
    Going hand in hand with #9 above, an excess of toxins and other waste products in the blood (a condition known as uremia) can cause the breath to smell like ammonia.

Contact your physician for medical advice if you are experiencing any one or more of the above symptoms and have concerns about your health. Treatment options vary depending on stage and severity of kidney disease. Joining a clinical trial may also be an option for you. They provide early access to treatment options otherwise unavailable.