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.