Early Warning Signs of Kidney Disease

Even though kidney disease
affects millions of Americans,
there are only a few signs or
symptoms that can indicate a
problem. Kidney disease is often
called a “QUIET DISEASE” as most
people do not feel any different
until the disease is very
advanced. Also, many people
don’t recognize the early
warning signs or ignore them
completely. Recognition and
awareness of the warning signs
can mean the difference
between early detection and
treatment or kidney failure which
becomes dialysis, a transplant, or
even death.





The important job of regulating
the body’s potassium, salt, and
acid content is performed by the
kidneys. Kidneys are also in
charge of removing waste
products from the body,
balancing the body’s fluids, and
producing active vitamin D to
promote healthy bones. They also
produce hormones that affect
the function of other organs
such as stimulating red blood cell
production. Other hormones
produced by the kidneys regulate
blood pressure and control the
metabolization of calcium.
The first, and most obvious,
symptom is a change in urination
or urination habits
.

 Kidney function is responsible
for urine production. Thus, any
abnormalities such as urinating
less or more often; a decrease in
the amount of urine; having
oddly-colored, cloudy, foamy, or
bloody urine; even pain or
burning can be a big indicator
that something is amiss.
Protein or blood in the urine
would probably only be detected
during an annual physical,
preoperative evaluation, or any
other kind of physical that
involves a urine test. Many kinds
of kidney damage result in
leaking of the glomerular fibers
(which filter the blood for
impurities), resulting in red blood
cells and protein being leaked
into the urine.
Advertisement:
Somewhat oddly, lower back
pain can also be an indicator of
kidney disease .

 Kidney pain is
felt in the back, sometimes on
the sides, usually just below the
rib cage. Other symptoms that
may seem unrelated are a loss in
appetite or a change in how
food tastes, dizziness or difficulty
thinking clearly, headache, severe
itchiness not related to a bug
bite or rash, metallic taste in the
mouth, or even fatigue. As the
kidneys also help make red blood
cells, which carry oxygen around
the body, a decrease in those
cells causes anemia. Anemia
causes tiredness, the
aforementioned dizziness and
thinking difficulty, as well as
decreased stamina and,
sometimes, memory problems.
There can also be symptoms that
are similar to that of a UTI
(urinary tract infection) and
though UTIS don’t typically cause
permanent or progressive kidney
damage if treated promptly, if left
untreated it can cause a whole
slew of problems.
Early Warning Signs of Kidney
Disease