15 Symptoms of Kidney Disease That You Must Know – And What You Should Do About It

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Note – this article gives general information about kidney disease and should not be used as a substitute for a doctor’s diagnosis. If you have the symptoms listed here, notify your doctor, who will be able to perform the tests required to ascertain kidney function. You should also have your regular medical checks as these symptoms may or may not be present, and may be absent in the early stages of the disease.

Introduction: The job of the kidneys is to filter the blood and remove waste products, which are then excreted in urine. The most significant causes of kidney failure are diabetes and high blood pressure. The health of the kidneys can also be compromised by numerous other factors including medicines / substance abuse, infections, kidney stones, physical injuries, genetic factors and more.

Kidney disease, also known as renal disease or kidney failure, generally refers to the loss of kidney function over time and this can be irreversible due to damage to the nephrons. (the structures that filter the blood.) Most people do not know that kidney diseases are considered “silent killers”. The symptoms can be gradual or even non-existent until the situation becomes serious – and it is very important to catch kidney disease early. “Most people have few or no symptoms until chronic kidney disease is very advanced” reported Dr. Andrew Narva, kidney specialist at the National Institute of Health. “You can lose up to 75% of your kidney function and essentially have no symptoms.” ^[2]

Here is a list of 15 symptoms you should be on the look out for: