The headline “10 Silent Signs Your Kidneys Are Failing — Most People Miss These!” is a common health-clickbait style title. Kidney disease can sometimes progress with few or no symptoms early on, but a list like this should not be used to diagnose yourself. Many of these signs can also come from other conditions.
Possible signs of kidney problems that doctors commonly evaluate include:
- Changes in urination
- Urinating much more or less than usual
- Waking up frequently at night to urinate
- Foamy urine (which can be linked to protein in urine)
- Blood in urine
- Swelling (fluid retention)
- Swelling around the ankles, feet, legs, hands, or face
- Persistent fatigue or weakness
- Kidney disease can contribute to anemia and buildup of waste products, which may cause tiredness
- Trouble concentrating or feeling mentally “foggy”
- Loss of appetite, nausea, or vomiting
- Itchy skin or dry skin
- More common in advanced kidney disease
- Muscle cramps
- Shortness of breath
- Can occur from fluid buildup or anemia
- Changes in blood pressure
- Kidney problems can contribute to high blood pressure
- Unexplained weight changes
- Especially when related to fluid retention or reduced appetite
Who should be especially careful? People with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, a family history of kidney disease, or regular use of certain medications (such as frequent NSAID pain relievers) may have higher risk.
The only reliable way to check kidney function is through medical testing, such as:
- Blood tests (including creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate/eGFR)
- Urine tests (including checking for protein or blood)
If someone has sudden severe symptoms, such as very little urine, chest pain, severe shortness of breath, confusion, or rapid swelling, they should seek urgent medical care.
