Kidney disease often progresses silently. signs and symptoms of kidney disease only appear in the late stages.

As kidneys gradually lose the ability to filter water and wastes from the blood, urea, creatinine, potassium uric acid, and other excretory substances accumulate in the body.

The accumulation of waste substances disturbs the normal electrolytes and hormonal balance in the body causing high blood pressure and water retention in the body.

In the case of an acute kidney injury (AKI), symptoms manifest abruptly and they are often reversible if treatment is sought early.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) case is different. In this condition, the deterioration of kidney function is progressive and the damage caused to the kidneys is permanent.

In the early stages of CKD, there are generally no symptoms until there is severe damage to the kidneys which happens over several months or years.

In CKD, the progressive loss of kidney function over time can affect other organs in the body like bones, the heart, lungs, and the brain – vital organs.

Deteriorating kidney function reduces the levels of the hormone called erythropoietin in the body. It will lead to the reduction of red blood cells in the body causing anemia – which is associated with general weakness and fatigue.

The impairment of kidney function can cause characteristic symptoms such as

  • Fatigue
  • Foamy urine (due to excess protein in the urine)
  • Swelling of the face, legs and the body
  • Loss of concentration
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Shortness of breath
  • Reduced appetite, weight loss
  • Altered  taste sensation
  • Cold intolerance (feeling cold all the time)
  • Itchiness
  • Smelly breath (ammonia breath)
  • Frequent urination at night – Nocturia
  • Bone pains

CKD can lead to the following conditions and symptoms

Accumulation of excess urea can cause weakness, nocturia, mental confusion, reduced appetite, nausea, and vomiting.

Excessive potassium can cause muscle weakness, chest pain, weak pulse, slowed heart rate, palpitation, and sudden cardiac death.

Excessive phosphates can cause itching, joint pain, muscle cramps, and bone pain.

Hypertension can lead to headaches, dyspnea, double vision, confusion, blurry vision, nosebleeds, and build-up of fluids in the lungs.

When to see a nephrologist?

As discussed above patients with Chronic kidney disease generally do not have any symptoms until the late stages. That is the reason why most patients present only in the late stages of kidney disease to the nephrologist.

Many people who experience such symptoms may think that their symptoms could be due to other illnesses. Furthermore, kidneys work very hard to compensate for the lost function till they encounter substantial damage. Owing to this reason, the signs and symptoms may not be apparent until irreversible damage has occurred.

Therefore, it is important for us to identify the risk factors of kidney disease.

People with the below conditions should monitor their kidney functions and seek help from a kidney doctor

  1. Diabetes
  2. Hypertension,
  3. Those with a family history of kidney disease,
  4. People with kidney stones,
  5. Those with frequent urinary tract infections,
  6. Passing blood in the urine
  7. Passing foamy urine
  8. Those with heart disease or heart failure
  9. Those with multiple joint pains or skin rashes

All it takes is a simple blood test and urine test to detect kidney disease. Don’t neglect your symptoms, seek early advice. Prevention is always better than cure. Save your kidneys.

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