What is the First Sign of Kidney Problems?
Your kidneys filter waste and excess fluid from your bloodstream. If something goes wrong, you may not notice the symptoms immediately. Instead, the symptoms often crop up when the disease has reached an advanced stage. That’s why it’s important to keep in touch with a nephrologist in Navi Mumbai to ensure your kidneys are working optimally.
Although the only way to know if you have an existing kidney disease is through tests, certain symptoms can also indicate kidney issues. We have discussed a few in this post:
What is the First Sign of Kidney Problems
When your kidneys malfunction, fluid and waste accumulate in your body. Over time, you may start noticing unusual symptoms, the severity of which may vary depending on how much the disease has progressed. Here are a few common signs you’ll see initially.
1) Fatigue and Weakness
People with kidney diseases are likely to feel tired often. Weakness is also a common sign. This happens when impurities accumulate in your blood.
2) Swelling
If your kidneys do not filter your blood effectively, you might develop swelling in the hands, ankles, feet, and face. This occurs because of excess salt and fluid in your body.
3) Changes in Urination
Another common sign of kidney disease is a changed urination pattern. You might feel the urge to urinate more often, particularly at night. You might also notice foamy urine.
4) Blood in the Urine (hematuria)
It is also linked to kidney diseases. Ideally, your kidneys keep the blood cells in your body when creating urine. When they aren’t working well, these blood cells might get leaked into the urine, causing hematuria.
Other Early Indicators
Here are a few other signs that indicate kidney disease:
a) Persistent Back Pain
If you have dull, sharp, and persistent pain on either side of your lower back, it could be a sign of kidney disease. Sharp and severe pain that doesn’t get better with movement might indicate kidney stones.
b) High Blood Pressure
Your kidneys control your blood pressure. When they aren’t working optimally, your blood pressure might spike, which, in turn, might further worsen kidney function.
c) Unexplained Weight Loss
As toxins build up in your blood, patients experience nausea, loss of appetite, and vomiting, all of which contribute to weight loss.
If you have been losing too much weight without trying, and it’s accompanied by swelling, loss of appetite, and changes in the urination pattern, it’s worth checking with your doctor to rule out kidney diseases.
d) Shortness of Breath
Too much fluid accumulation in the lungs can lead to shortness of breath. It can also occur due to anemia.
When to See a Doctor
Identifying the early symptoms of kidney disease is crucial to managing the condition and preventing it from progressing to the advanced stage. Unfortunately, kidney diseases are often left undiagnosed as patients often mistake the symptoms for other common health issues. If you notice the above symptoms with excessive fatigue, extreme weight loss, and frequent urination with foamy texture and unusual odor, it’s time to schedule a visit to a nephrologist to discuss the most viable kidney disease treatment in Navi Mumbai.
What are the Kidney Disease Symptoms in Females?
Kidney disease or kidney failure occurs when your kidney stops functioning. It’s usually the gradual loss of normal function, which results in its inability to filter waste from your blood. Kidney disease can be a life-threatening condition, as it can result in the excess buildup of electrolytes and waste in your blood.
If you experience a problem with urination, see a kidney specialist/nephrologist in Navi Mumbai to rule out the possibility of kidney failure. Your healthcare provider might recommend medication to slow down the damage, but eventually, you will need dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Symptoms of Kidney Disease
Kidney disease develops slowly in men and women. The symptoms usually don’t appear until it has reached an advanced stage. Based on the severity of the condition, here are some common symptoms that women diagnosed with kidney disease might experience.
- Nausea and vomiting
- Swollen ankles and feet
- Dry skin
- Hypertension
- Shortness of breath and chest pain if the excess fluid accumulates in your chest
- Frequent urination
- Insomnia
- Feeling dizzy
- Inability to concentrate or think clearly
- Brownish or reddish urine
- Bubbly urine
As mentioned previously, it’s advisable to see a doctor immediately if you notice any change in the pattern of urination, blood pressure, and swelling in the ankle. Kidney diseases do not produce severe symptoms unless the damage has reached the irreversible stage.
Also Read: How Stones Are Formed In Kidney?
Diagnosis of Kidney Disease
Chronic kidney disease can be diagnosed with a routine blood and urine test. The test is recommended for people with diabetes, hypertension, kidney injury, cardiovascular disease, and others who are at increased risk of developing kidney failure. The test is used to measure the level of waste product accumulated in your blood, called creatinine. A healthy kidney is capable of filtering up to 90ml/min. So, if the rate falls below that, you might be suffering from a kidney disease.
The doctor might also recommend a urine test, which helps evaluate the level of creatinine in your urine. In some cases, the doctor might recommend an ultrasound or an MRI to get a clear picture of the kidneys and detect any blockages. They might also conduct a biopsy where a small tissue from your kidney is extracted and checked under a microscope to determine the level of damage.
Treatment and Prevention of Kidney Disease
There’s no permanent cure for kidney disease, but a few steps can ensure your kidneys stay healthy.
- Manage your blood glucose levels if you are a diabetes patient
- Manage your blood pressure
- Do not take any medication that could worsen your kidney function
- Maintain your weight
- Follow a healthy lifestyle
- Avoid smoking
Conclusion
Kidney dialysis is an effective kidney disease treatment in Navi Mumbai. It’s recommended when you have reached the last stage of kidney disease and the last resort is to either get a kidney transplant or dialysis to save yourself. It removes excess waste from your body through a catheter. If that doesn’t work, your doctor might have to perform a kidney transplant to replace your kidney with the donor’s kidney.