Kidney Disease: Recognizing the Early Signs

Unlike many diseases, a kidney disease often shows no symptoms until it is very advanced. For this reason, it is important to stay on top of your health, be aware of the risks and learn about the steps for keeping your kidneys healthy.

How to tell if your Kidney is at Risk?

There are ways to tell if you are at the risk of a kidney disease. For this purpose, ask yourself these questions:

· Do you have a heart disease?

· Are you diabetic?

· Do you have high blood pressure problem?

· Does a kidney disease run in your family?

If your answer is YES to even one of these questions, you may be at the risk of a kidney disease.

Signs of Kidney Problem

Other than these risks, it is always best to watch out for the possible symptoms of Kidney Trouble. Here are some common ones:

· Persistent nausea

· Shortness of breath

· Frequent or reduced urination

· Drowsiness or fatigue

· Swelling of ankles, legs and feet

· Anemia

· Insomnia

· Itchy skin

· Loss of appetite

· Pain in the side or lower back

· Pain/pressure in chest

Kidney Test

When you go for a kidney test, the healthcare provider will ask for two simple tests i.e. blood test for checking the Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) and urine test to check the level of protein.

GFR: It is the type of blood test that measures how much blood the kidneys filter each minute. It shows how well the kidneys are performing. If the GFR is 60 or above, then it’s normal. However, if the GFR is below 60, it means you have a kidney disease.

Urine Test: Protein leaks into the urine when the kidney filters are damaged. If your urine contains protein, it is also a sign of a kidney disease.

Treating Kidney Disease

It is important to keep track of the health of your kidneys to identify a potential kidney disease earlier. When caught early, the kidney disease can be treated effectively. There are a few conditions where they might even start functioning normally.