Kidney Failure Symptoms

Kidneys are one of the most essential organs in our body as it aids in removing toxins and additional water from our body and filter our blood. Apart from that, it also performs other vital functions. 

When it is unable to remove toxic wastes from our body properly, it is termed as kidney failure. It is also known as renal failure. It is the last stage of kidney or renal disease. 

Causes and Types of Kidney Failure

Several factors can cause kidney failure in our body. Some of them are mentioned below – 

1. A major accident can cause physical damage to our kidneys leading to kidney failure.

2. Certain health conditions, acute and chronic diseases can also be the reasons for kidney failure. Diabetes and high blood pressure are two most common causes of kidney failure. However, in this case, individuals slowly lose their kidney function.

3. Exposure to toxic chemicals, pollutants and certain medications can cause kidney damage

4. Severe dehydration and loss of blood flow are also some reason behind kidney failure.

There are different types of Kidney Failure

• Acute prerenal kidney failure.

• Chronic prerenal kidney failure.

• Acute intrinsic kidney failure.

• Chronic intrinsic kidney failure.

• Chronic post-renal kidney failure.

Kidney Failure Symptoms

So, how do you know if your kidneys are failing symptoms?

It is essential to keep in mind that except in some instances, kidneys do not lose their ability to function overnight. Instead, kidney failure happens slowly over years or months. In the early stages of kidney damage, there are usually no symptoms, so it is almost impossible to detect. 

Individuals start exhibiting signs of kidney failure when the disease has already progressed to later stages. 

Some of the kidney failure symptoms that one may experience are as follows – 

1. Fatigue – One of the common kidney trouble symptoms is fatigue. Individuals will feel more tired and unable to concentrate properly. They may also feel nausea and induced vomiting.

2. Blood and Foam in urine – If kidney functions starts deteriorating, it will be unable to filter waste properly. A person will feel the need to urinate more often in that case.

Apart from that, other symptoms of kidney problems are urine may contain blood, or it may be foamy, which means there is a protein in the urine. The urine may be dark red or purple in such cases.

Additionally, because of blood loss, he or she may also suffer from anaemia which is another indication of kidney failure.

3. Swelling – If kidneys are not functioning properly, it will lead to sodium and fluid retention in our body, which will cause swelling in ankles and feet.

4. Dryness and itchiness – Dry and itchy skin is another kidney issue symptoms. If kidney failure has progressed to later stages, it can cause mineral and bone diseases.

5. Puffiness – One will see puffiness around eyes which is caused by protein deficiency in the body through urine. A person with kidney failure will also have trouble sleeping at night.

6. Muscle cramps and Poor appetite – An individual may also experience kidney disorder symptoms such as muscle cramps and have a poor appetite because of a loss of taste. These are due to electrolyte imbalance in the body.

7. Reduced urine – A reduced urine output (compared to average) may also be signs of kidney problem.

8. Chest pains – Another symptom of kidney failure is pain in the chest and shortness of breath.

A person who is exhibiting some of the kidney failure symptoms mentioned above should consult his medical advisor immediately for a check-up.

Treatment for Kidney Disease

As of yet, no cure for kidney failure has been invented. However, there are treatments available, which allows an individual to live a healthy and active life even after that particular organ’s failure. If the kidney disease has not progressed to severe stages yet, medication is prescribed, which help in controlling the kidney failure symptoms and reduce any further complications. 

If the disease is at the final stage, then there are two treatment options – 

• Dialysis - through this process, the toxic waste is mechanically taken out of the body. 

• Kidney Transplant – the damaged kidney is replaced with a healthy one, obtained from a donor. A donor can be living or deceased. 

You can also go through more articles on a related topic on our website, which will help you to gain a better understanding of the subject. You can also avail the study materials in PDF format and study at your own pace.

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