23 “Strange” Signs Your Kidneys Might Be in Trouble
This type of headline can be misleading. Early kidney disease often causes no noticeable symptoms at all, so a list of symptoms should never be used to diagnose kidney disease. Blood and urine testing is much more reliable.
Possible signs, particularly as kidney disease becomes more advanced, include:
- Foamy or persistently bubbly urine
- Blood or pink/cola-colored urine
- Urinating more frequently
- Waking frequently at night to urinate
- Urinating much less than usual
- Swollen ankles or feet
- Swollen hands
- Puffy eyes, especially in the morning
- Unexplained weight gain from fluid retention
- Persistent fatigue or weakness
- Trouble concentrating or “brain fog”
- Poor appetite
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Itchy or unusually dry skin
- Muscle cramps
- Numbness or tingling
- Sleep problems
- Shortness of breath
- Changes in taste
- Unintentional weight loss
- Headaches or high blood pressure
- A change in urine amount or other persistent urinary changes.
⚠️ The important part
Most of these symptoms have many possible causes. For example, frequent urination can result from diabetes, urinary infections or prostate problems, while swollen legs can also be caused by heart or liver conditions.
If you’re concerned about your kidneys, the most useful checks are:
- Blood test: eGFR/GFR, which estimates kidney filtration.
- Urine test: urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR), which checks for protein leakage.
People with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or a family history of kidney failure should be particularly proactive about kidney testing.
