23 signs your kidneys might be in trouble
A caution about the headline first: kidney disease often causes no noticeable symptoms in its early stages. These signs can occur when kidney function is impaired, but none of them by itself proves that your kidneys are failing. Blood and urine tests are much more reliable. NIDDK+1
Possible signs include:
- Unusual tiredness or weakness
- Trouble concentrating or “brain fog”
- Poor appetite
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Unexplained weight loss
- Trouble sleeping
- Muscle cramps, especially at night
- Persistent itching
- Dry or unusually darkened skin
- Swelling around the ankles or feet
- Puffy eyes, particularly in the morning
- Swelling of the hands or face
- Foamy or unusually bubbly urine
- Blood or pink/cola-colored urine
- Urinating more frequently
- Urinating less than usual
- Needing to urinate frequently at night
- Numbness or tingling
- Shortness of breath
- Chest discomfort
- High blood pressure or worsening blood-pressure control
- A persistent unusual or ammonia-like smell to the breath in advanced kidney disease. National Kidney Foundation+2
The most important point
Don’t wait for symptoms to determine whether your kidneys are healthy. Early chronic kidney disease may have no symptoms whatsoever. Two particularly useful tests are:
- eGFR — a blood-test calculation estimating kidney filtration.
- Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) — detects protein leaking into the urine.
Diabetes and high blood pressure are among the most important risk factors for kidney disease, so people with either condition should discuss regular kidney testing with their clinician. NIDDK+1
At 83, if you have a recent creatinine, eGFR, or urine protein/uACR result, you can give me the numbers from your report and I can explain what they mean and whether they warrant follow-up.
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