Kidneys that are failing to perform properly don’t remove any extra fluid from the body. This leads to sodium retention which causes swelling in your ankles, feet and hands. Swelling of the lower parts of your body can also signal heart and liver disease or leg vein problems.
Warning: Sometimes taking medication, reducing salt and removing excess fluid in your body can stop swelling. If it doesn’t help, then you need a separate treatment.
4. Having back pain
Kidney failure can result in back pain that is usually deep and located right below the rib cage. It can be felt in the front of the groin or hip area. Back and leg pain can be caused by kidney cysts, which are large fluid-filled sacs formed on the kidenys, and are the result of polycystic kidney disease.
Tip: Back pain caused by kidney failure is accompanied by feeling sick, vomiting, high body temperature and frequent urinating. Normal back pain that has no correlation with the kidneys behaves differently: pain is more localized and happens suddenly, there is no fever. If you keep experiencing back pain and pain relief pills are ineffective, make sure you see your doctor.
3. Puffy eyes
An early sign that your kidney’s filter system is damaged is the onset of protein in the urine, which can result in puffiness around the eye area. The puffiness around your eye can be explained by the fact that your kidneys are leaking a large amount of protein into the urine rather than keeping it and distributing it throughout the body.
Tip: If you’re sure that your body is receiving enough rest and protein, but you continue to notice puffiness around your eyes, make sure to schedule an appointment to see your doctor.
2. High blood pressure
Your circulatory system and kidneys depend on each other. The kidneys have small nephrons that filter waste and extra fluids from the blood. If the blood vessels get damaged, the nephrons that filter your blood don’t receive enough oxygen and nutrients. That’s why high blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure.
Tip: Learn to manage your high blood pressure to avoid kidney failure. Add foods rich in folic acid as it is engaged in the production of red blood cells and can help prevent anemia.
1. Changes in urination
Your kidneys are responsible for producing urine and eliminating waste through it. Changes in the frequency, odor, color and appearance of urine should not be ignored. Common types of changes include:
- Increased need to urinate, especially during the night. Anywhere between 4 to 10 times a day is considered to be normal.
- Seeing blood in urine. Healthy kidneys filter waste from the blood to produce urine, but if the filter is damaged the blood cells might start to “leek” out into the urine.
- Having foamy urine. Bubbles in the urine especially the ones that require you to flush several times until they go away indicate that unwanted protein is in the urine.
