Early signs of kidney failure

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The main job of the 2 kidneys in the body is to filter the blood to get water and to excrete the products of metabolism out through the urine. Some early signs of kidney failure are often overlooked or confused with alternative pathologies. Therefore, people need to know and detect early signs of kidney failure to help slow the progression of the disease to the end stage.

1. Signs of kidney failure in the early stages

One of the early signs of kidney failure is swelling in the ankles, feet or legs. The patient will begin to notice edema at these sites, with indentations when applying pressure and is called soft edema. As kidney function declines, sodium is trapped causing swelling in the shin and ankle first. In summary, any person who notices new-onset edema should have their kidney function evaluated immediately when they see a nephrologist.
Other early signs of kidney failure include:
Edema around the eyes: Swelling or puffiness around the eyes due to fluid accumulation in cells or soft tissues. This is one of the earliest signs of kidney dysfunction. This condition is particularly prominent in patients with significant renal protein loss as seen in nephrotic syndrome. Loss of protein from the body reduces intravascular pressure and leads to extravascular fluid accumulation in various locations such as around the eyes. Weakness: Early loss of appetite is almost always a common symptom of early kidney failure. As renal dysfunction progresses, this symptom becomes more and more prominent. The person may feel more tired or exhausted than in the past days and will not be able to perform strenuous activities, so more frequent rest is needed. This is largely due to the accumulation of toxins and impurities in the blood, resulting in poor kidney function. Because it is a nonspecific symptom, early signs of kidney failure are often overlooked and under-investigated. Decreased Appetite: Due to the accumulation of toxins such as urea, creatinine and other amino acids, an individual's appetite will be suppressed. In addition, as kidney disease progresses, the patient also experiences changes in taste, often described by patients as having a metallic taste in the mouth. Therefore, if a person experiences an early feeling of fullness despite having barely eaten anything during the day, early warning of renal function is warranted. Early Morning Nausea and Vomiting: One of the earliest signs of kidney failure is early morning nausea, often classically described as waking up to go to the bathroom and brush your teeth. This expression also contributes to the patient's poor appetite. In end-stage renal failure, patients tend to vomit repeatedly and lose their appetite completely. Anemia: The level of hemoglobin begins to drop, the person may look pale even though there is no obvious site of blood loss on the body. This is one of the common complications of kidney disease, making the patient always weak and tired. Anemia is caused by many factors, some of which include low levels of Erythropoietin, which is synthesized in the kidneys, low iron levels, and accumulation of toxins that suppress bone marrow. Changes in the amount of urine: To detect the signs of the day, the patient must know how to monitor his urine output very carefully. For example, the amount of urine may decrease or the person may feel the need to urinate more often, especially at night. This could be a warning sign that the kidney's filtering function is limited. However, sometimes this can also be a sign of certain urinary tract infections or an enlarged prostate gland in men. Foamy urine or blood in the urine: An excessive effervescence in the urine indicates the presence of protein in the urine. When the kidney's filtering mechanism has been or is damaged, proteins and blood cells begin to be lost through the urine. In addition to signaling kidney disease, blood in the urine can indicate a tumor, kidney stones, or any kind of infection. In addition, pus combined with urine along with fever or chills can also be a sign of a serious urinary tract infection. Therefore, changes in the color, consistency or nature of urine should be noted and reported to a nephrologist as soon as possible.

Dry and itchy skin: Dry and itchy skin can be a sign of chronic kidney disease. As kidney function declines, toxins tend to accumulate in the body leading to itchy, dry, and foul-smelling skin. Back or lower abdominal pain: Pain in the back, side, or below the ribs can be an early symptom of structural damage to the kidney such as kidney stones or pyelonephritis. Similarly, lower abdominal pain may be related to bladder infection or ureteral stones. Such symptoms should not be ignored and should be further investigated with a routine imaging tool such as X-ray or abdominal ultrasound. High blood pressure: One of the signs of kidney disease can be high blood pressure. Any person diagnosed with hypertension should have a detailed renal function test and renal imaging to rule out a secondary renal cause of hypertension. When kidney function declines, sodium and water are retained leading to high blood pressure. Symptoms of high blood pressure include headaches, abdominal pain, blurred vision - which can also be early symptoms of kidney disease. As such, recognizing the early signs of kidney failure and prompt intervention can help with early detection and treatment of kidney dysfunction or kidney failure that can lead to dialysis, a kidney transplant, or even death.

2. Tips to keep your kidneys healthy

To keep your kidneys healthy and functioning properly, you should:
Drink lots of water: This is the most common and simplest way to keep your kidneys healthy. Drinking plenty of water, especially warm water, helps the kidneys to better remove sodium, urea and toxins from the body. Low sodium diet: Strictly control sodium or salt intake. This means that people also need to cut out packaged foods or eat out. In addition, it is necessary to limit the amount of salt added to food. A low-salt diet has a role in reducing the load on the kidneys and preventing the development of hypertension and also slowing the progression of kidney disease. Maintain a healthy body weight: Eat healthy and keep your weight under control. Check cholesterol levels in the body regularly to prevent deposits in the renal arteries. Also, eliminate saturated fat in high-fat fried foods from your diet and emphasize eating fruits and vegetables daily. The load on the kidneys will increase as an individual's weight increases. Aim to achieve a BMI of 24 or less and maintain an ideal weight for the individual. Check your blood sugar regularly and keep it at an optimal level: Diabetic kidney disease is very common and can be prevented if caught early. Therefore, people should check their blood sugar regularly, avoid sweet products, and see a doctor if their blood sugar (fasting or postprandial) or HBA1C levels rise. It is best to always keep the HBA1C level below 6.0. Monitor your blood pressure regularly and keep it under control: In case of high blood pressure, take your blood pressure-lowering medication as advised by your doctor, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and make the necessary changes in your diet. diet. Normal blood pressure is <120/80. High blood pressure can also cause kidney problems in addition to the risk of stroke or heart attack. Kidney function tests and urinalysis are done regularly as part of annual health tests: Especially if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, or if you are over 60 years old, get your kidney function checked. Renal function, renal imaging, and urinalysis are performed regularly. In the case of even the slightest protein in the urine, see your nephrologist, especially diabetics.

Quit smoking: Smoking is one of the important modifiable risk factors associated with the progression of kidney disease. Furthermore, smoking is also a risk factor for diabetes, high blood pressure and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, it is advisable to stop smoking immediately, which is not only good for the kidneys but also for overall health. Maintain an active healthy lifestyle by doing moderate exercise for about 45 minutes a day such as jogging, cycling, swimming, playing sports at least 5 out of 7 days a week. Change to a sedentary lifestyle, commuting to the office or going for a walk after lunch. Balance your lifestyle properly by getting a good night's sleep at least 8 hours a day. A good night's sleep is essential for maintaining good health. In summary, the risk of developing chronic kidney disease is increased if a person has high blood pressure, diabetes, a family history of kidney failure, or is over 60 years old. Therefore, if any of these risk factors are present, especially if the above early signs of kidney failure are detected, it is important to seek medical attention early to assess and prevent further damage.

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