23 signs your kidneys might be in trouble
The headline is a little misleading: early chronic kidney disease often causes no symptoms at all. Symptoms usually appear after kidney function has declined significantly, so blood and urine testing is much more reliable than trying to diagnose kidney disease from symptoms.
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Possible warning signs include:
Swelling of the ankles, feet, or legs
Puffiness around the eyes, especially in the morning
Swelling of the hands
Foamy or unusually bubbly urine
Blood or pink/cola-colored urine
Urinating much more frequently
Urinating much less than usual
Waking frequently at night to urinate
Persistent fatigue or low energy
Trouble concentrating or “brain fog”
Difficulty sleeping
Poor appetite
Nausea
Vomiting
Unintentional weight loss
Dry or itchy skin
Muscle cramps
Muscle weakness
Numbness or tingling
Shortness of breath
Chest discomfort
A bad or unusual taste in the mouth
Breath that smells unusually ammonia-like or urine-like
These can occur with advanced kidney disease, but none of them proves that your kidneys are the cause. Many have other possible explanations.
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The most important point
If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or a family history of kidney failure, don’t wait for symptoms. Ask about kidney testing. A blood eGFR and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) are commonly used to assess kidney function and kidney damage.
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And if you have severe shortness of breath, chest pain, very little/no urine, severe swelling, confusion, or rapidly worsening symptoms, seek urgent medical care.
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