8 Early Warning Signs That Your Kidney Is In Danger!

Kidneys are bean shaped organs that are located right under our ribs. Their main function is to filter wastes from the blood, maintain a balance in the fluids, absorb nutrients and excrete wastes from the body. They help to neutralize acid content of our body and regulate blood pressure. Proper functioning of kidney helps to maintain body electrolytes, produce red blood cells and aids bone strength. Your kidneys play a vital role in proper functioning of your body. But when kidneys don’t function properly, your body starts giving you signals. Recognize the signs your body gives you to that indicate a kidney damage :

1. Swelling

If your hands, ankles, legs or feet get swollen all of a sudden, then this could be an indication that there is some issue in functioning of your kidneys.

2. Changes In Urination

Another indicator of kidneys not functioning properly are the changes in your urination pattern. Some of the common changes that you must watch out for are • Feeling pressure in passing urine. • It is dark coloured or too less in quantity. • It is too pale and frequent or excessive urination. • It is froth or forms bubbles. • Urinating at middle of night.

3. Skin Rashes

When your kidneys don’t function properly, it is unable to remove toxins and wastes from your body. This result in itchy skin and you get rashes on your skin. Although an ointment may soothe out the skin but it is best advised to get your kidneys checked.

4. Fatigue

Our kidneys produce a hormone called erythropoietin (EPO) which makes red blood cells which carries oxygen in our body. However when kidneys do not function properly, only few red blood cells carry oxygen. Due to less oxygen, the body gets tired and fatigued and this can even lead to anaemia.

5. Shortness Of Breath

Since kidney damage causes less oxygen in body, it can lead to shortness of breath in your body. Additionally the fluid build up in body due to kidney damage, a person can suffer from shortness of breath.

6. Metallic Taste In Mouth

When your kidneys stop functioning properly, your body starts accumulating wastes materials which causes a strange metallic taste in your mouth. This feeling is accompanied with loss in appetite.

7. Pain In Upper Back

Another indicator of kidney damage is pain on your upper back and sides. This can even be an indicator of kidney stones.

8. Dizziness

Due to kidney damage, our brain does not get enough oxygen, this further leads to low concentration levels, memory loss and dizziness in your head. The above indicators should not be ignored and it is better that one should discuss these symptoms with your doctor.