Noticing changes in your body can help protect your health. Maybe suddenly, your clothes are tight, or you’re short of breath while walking. Some kidney problems are less obvious, but paying attention to them is no less important.
You may not have kidney disease symptoms at first. About nine in 10 U.S. adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) aren’t aware they have the condition. Knowing the first signs of kidney problems means you can take action to help keep your kidneys healthy.
What Are the Three Early Warning Signs of Kidney Problems?
If you have early-stage kidney disease, you may not notice the early warning signs of kidney problems, such as changes in your energy level, skin, and urine (pee). As CKD worsens, you may develop:
- Dark or foamy urine, blood in your urine, or a need to pee more often.
- Fatigue, or extreme tiredness.
- High blood pressure.
- Swelling or puffiness in your hands or feet, or itchy skin.
How Do I Know if My Kidneys Are Healthy?
Your kidneys do an important job. They filter all of the blood in your body every day. These two small organs remove waste products and extra fluid, moving them out of your body through urine.
Generally, healthy kidneys don’t cause changes in how urine looks or smells or in how often you need to urinate. With healthy kidneys, you’re more likely to have clear skin with no puffiness and muscles that don’t cramp.
Not all changes in how you feel or how your skin and urine look are signs of kidney disease. Doctors measure how well your kidneys work (renal function) to determine your kidney health.
Kidney disease causes
Kidney disease can happen to anyone. But developing CKD is more likely if you:
- Are older (over the age of 60).
- Have diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure.
- Have family members with kidney disease (family history).
Changes in kidney health often occur slowly over time. But kidney damage can also happen suddenly. Acute kidney injury causes a rapid change in your kidney function and increases your risk of developing CKD.
How Do Doctors Measure Kidney Function?
If you have kidney disease symptoms, diabetes, or high blood pressure, your doctor may check your kidney function. You may have:
- Blood tests
- Urine tests
Doctors check your renal function by examining your blood and urine for certain proteins and waste products. They also run blood tests to determine your estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Your eGFR tells your doctor how well your kidneys are filtering your blood.
With your eGFR, doctors can tell:
- Whether you have kidney damage.
- How much kidney damage you have and your stage of CKD.
How to Help Keep Kidneys Healthy
You may wonder if there’s anything you can do to clean your kidneys and improve renal function. There’s plenty you can do to help support good kidney health.
Be careful with over-the-counter medications
Tell your doctor about over-the-counter (OTC) drugs you take routinely, like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs). Make sure you mention any herbal supplements you take, too.
Eat healthy foods
Healthy eating helps you avoid putting extra stress on your kidneys. Kidney-friendly foods include those that help you stay at a healthy weight and minimize salt and sugar. You can eat healthier by:
- Eating fewer salty foods and choosing foods with reduced sodium.
- Eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and foods lower in saturated fat.
- Limiting processed foods that contain extra sugar.
If you have kidney disease, talk to your doctor about which foods are best for you and your health needs.
Get regular sleep
Your sleep patterns can affect your blood pressure and how your kidneys function. Try to get seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
Keep active
Regular physical activity can help you stay at a weight that’s healthy for you. Exercise also helps improve:
- Blood circulation.
- Blood sugar regulation.
- Heart health.
- Muscle mass.
- Sleep quality.
Limit alcohol
Drinking alcohol causes changes in your blood pressure and in your kidney function. You can help protect your kidneys by drinking only small amounts of alcohol occasionally.
Manage chronic health conditions
Kidney disease can result from and contribute to chronic health conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure. Make sure you take the medications your doctor prescribes to control blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
Stay hydrated
Maintaining the right balance of fluids in your body helps keep your kidneys functioning as they should. Drinking fluids like water, unsweetened fruit juice, and low-fat milk can help you avoid dehydration. Talk to your doctor about how much fluid you need each day, especially if you have CKD.
Stop using tobacco
Smoking or using tobacco affects your kidneys. It raises your blood pressure and can also affect your heart and blood circulation. If you smoke or use tobacco, try to quit.
Watch for signs of kidney disease
You can’t always tell when kidney damage has occurred. Tell your doctor if you have:
- Changes in your skin, such as dryness, itchiness, or changes in skin color.
- Cramps or twitching in your muscles.
- Feeling tired or run down.
- Increased thirst.
- Loss of appetite.
- Puffy hands or feet.
- Trouble concentrating.
What Is Kidney Failure?
Kidney failure, or end-stage kidney disease, occurs when kidney function declines and your kidneys can no longer filter your blood. Kidney failure symptoms can include:
- Drowsiness or trouble thinking clearly.
- Fatigue.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Skin changes.
- Swelling in your hands or feet.
- Unexplained weight loss.
If you have kidney failure, treatment options are available. Talk to your doctor about treatment for chronic kidney disease.
Kidney Health: What to Expect
Tell your doctor right away if you notice signs of kidney problems. Your doctor may recommend tests to see if you have kidney damage. You may also need to take regular blood and urine tests if you have:
- Diabetes or high blood pressure.
- A family history of kidney disease.
- Past kidney injury.
Kidney damage is usually irreversible. But lifestyle changes can help prevent more damage and help preserve kidney function.