Kidney Failure: How To Know If Your Kidney Is Damaged

February 26, 2024
1:00 PM

While the only definitive way to diagnose a kidney, the disease is to get confirmatory tests done, here are some early warning signs of kidney disease.

Kidney damage is seen when the kidney fails to function properly. One will be prone to kidney problems owing to diabetes, old age, family history, and hypertension. You will also be shocked to know that kidney disease raises one’s chances of heart and blood vessel disease. Moreover, polycystic kidney disease is inherited and leads to large cysts in the kidneys and causes irreversible damage to the surrounding tissue. Another one is Lupus which takes a toll on your kidneys. Lupus nephritis is can be termed an autoimmune disease leading to inflammation (swelling or scarring) of the small blood vessels that allow the filtering of wastes in one’s kidney. Hence, those with damaged kidneys lead to kidney failure and one will ultimately require dialysis or even an organ transplant.

Millions of people are living with various types of kidney diseases and most of them don’t even have the faintest idea about it. This is why kidney disease is often known as a ‘Silent Killer’ as most people do not feel any difference until the disease is advanced. While people get their blood pressure, sugar, and cholesterol levels checked on a regular basis, they fail to get a simple creatinine test done in their blood, to detect any unidentified kidney problems. While the only definitive way to diagnose a kidney, the disease is to get confirmatory tests done, here are some early warning signs of kidney disease.

Tiredness: If you are getting tired even after doing nothing then probably it is the right time to speak to the expert. This sign is worrisome and will suggest that there is some underlying health problem.
Poor appetite: If you are unable to eat anything at all then it will indicate a serious problem. Generally, people with kidney disease experience this symptom.
Swollen feet and ankles: These are also some of the common symptoms of kidney disease. Do not ignore these symptoms at any cost.
Puffy eyes: Well, yes having puffy eyes could mean you have kidney disease.
Dry, itchy skin: As the renal function falls, toxins tend to accumulate in the body leading to itchy, dry, and foul-smelling skin.
Changes in urine frequency: One has to keep a very careful watch on his or her urine output. For instance, the urinary output may decrease, or you may feel the need to urinate more often, especially at night.
High Blood Pressure: A presenting sign of kidney disease may be high blood pressure. Any person being diagnosed with hypertension must have a detailed workup of renal functions and kidney imaging to rule out the renal etiology of hypertension.