Symptoms of kidney failure come in many ways and can affect the functionality of the entire body. While the skin is undoubtedly the largest excretory organ in the body, many consider the kidney to be the major one. This is because its functions are considered essential to healthy living.
The kidneys play vital excretory roles in the body. They are responsible for filtering all the blood present in the body, many times each day. They regulate the amount of water to be excreted as urine at different given times. They help maintain a constant internal environment by secreting hormones like erythropoietin to that effect.
An individual can lead a normal, healthy life with just one kidney. Failure of both kidneys is a serious threat to life and should be addressed with urgency. Conditions that can cause kidney failure include:
1. Kidney stone:
This is a stony concretion that forms in urine inside the kidney. When the kidney excretes the urine, these crystals block the ureter and cause excruciating pain.
2. Infections:
Bacterial infections in the urinary tract can lead to kidney damage if not properly treated. Infections in the bladder can be treated using antibiotics prescribed by a physician.
3. Loss of blood flow:
A sudden loss of blood flow to the kidneys can trigger immediate kidney failure. Dehydration, heart attack, and allergies are among the leading causes of blood flow disruption.
4. Diabetes:
When uncontrolled, this can weaken the kidneys’ blood filtering ability, thus, leading to kidney failure. The only known cure for kidney failure is a kidney transplant. A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure involving the replacement of a dying kidney with a healthy one gotten from a donor either living or dead. Kidney failure can be treated and managed effectively with dialysis.
Symptoms of kidney failure
There are no clear observable symptoms at the initial stage of kidney failure. In other words, kidney failure is asymptomatic in its early stages. However, as the kidney’s health deteriorates, symptoms will show up.
Unfortunately, the causes of these symptoms may be misdiagnosed. This is because many of them can result from a host of other health conditions. If unrecognised and wrongly treated, kidney failure would degenerate into a life-threatening circumstance.
The earliest symptoms of kidney failure can be traced to poor regulation of water, electrolyte imbalances, and inability to clear waste products from the body. All of which may manifest as the following:
- Lethargy
- Fatigue
- Incontinence
- Weakness due to anemia
- Unexplained short breath
- Edema (swelling in legs, ankles, feet due to failure of the kidneys to excrete excess water waste)
- Dry and itchy skin
- Unusual urination habits
- Foamy urine
- Brain fog
- Vomiting
- Nausea etc.
Contact your doctor when:
The right time to seek professional opinion is as soon as you notice anything odd about your mind or body. If you experience any of the symptoms listed above, if the condition persists or worsens, you should go to a hospital.
You would most likely be referred to a general practitioner. He or she would conduct a medical evaluation involving lab and urine tests to evaluate your body chemistry and characterize the nature of your symptoms and their root cause, as well as rule out wrong suspicions.
If a kidney problem is detected, you would be referred to a nephrologist. A nephrologist is a doctor who specializes in treating kidney problems and other dysfunctions that may affect other parts of your body, so, you know you are in good hands.
Do you, or someone you know, currently experience any of the symptoms listed above? Contact our team of licensed professionals right away to make a stitch in time.