Swollen eyelids from kidney problems may occur. Kidney problems can cause swollen eyelids or puffy eyes, mainly because the kidneys excrete protein through the urine instead of keeping it in the body. When the kidneys are not working properly, sodium retention can occur, leading to swelling in the feet and ankles.
7 Signs and Symptoms of Kidney Problems
We will talk about the signs and symptoms of kidney dysfunction. Normally, kidneys filter blood and excrete toxins from our body, excrete water also, and some minerals. It’s normal.
1. Frequent Urination
Frequent urination is the most common symptom of kidney dysfunction and frequent urination most commonly is caused by the intake of lots of water. Secondly, frequent urination is caused by urinary tract infection. During this stage kidneys can be involved or it can happen without the kidney’s involvement but it is still the most common symptom of kidney dysfunction.
https://youtu.be/RVvML1YAaFg?si=6cT2LX6CUuS0vvcYFrequent urination means if a person goes to the toilet more than every 3 to 4 hours or if a person wakes up several times during the night for urine. A urinary tract infection usually causes frequent urination.
Urinary tract infection happens due to bacterial infection that irritates the bladder. The bladder will contract because of this irritation. It causes frequent urination and a sense of genesis. Sometimes prostate enlargement also causes frequent urination because an enlarged prostate compresses the bladder.
2. Swelling Hands and Feet
The second most common symptom of kidney dysfunction is swelling hands and feet or eyes. It happens when kidneys are damaged or leak proteins. Normally, they should not extract protein from our bodies. When we lose proteins we have less proteins in the blood, and the blood fluid flows toward tissues from the blood. So this is the reason behind swelling in hands and feet; this condition is called edema.
The most common cause of swelling hands and feet is Nephrotic syndrome. Nephrotic syndrome happens due to post-viral infection in children. If children have nephrotic syndrome, they can have swelling and in many cases it’s reversible.
If it happens in adults, it is caused by diabetes or autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus or IBD. It can be more serious in adults swelling hands and feet or different body parts.
3. Foamy Urine
Foamy urine happens when a kidney is dysfunctional as we said our body loses proteins when proteins interact with the air. They create bubbles and have urine sometimes dehydration also causes the forming of urine because our urine is more concentrated.
in this case, it can create also some bubbles and a full bladder causes because the stronger stream when a person is urinating can create some bubbles and some foamy urine in normal cases. They are physiological but if there are proteins in the urine and there is albumin in the urine. It’s already pathological in most cases. It happens because of a bladder infection if it’s pathological.
4. Puffy Eyes
Puffy eyes can occur due to the loss of proteins. Usually, it is caused by nephrotic syndrome, glomerulonephritis, and recent infection. It’s more common in older adults when our skin loses elasticity, puffy eyes are more prominent and kidney is damaged over time.
5. Blood in the Urine
Blood in the urine can be caused by different conditions like urinary tract infections, kidney stones, glomerulonephritis, and polycystic kidney disease. We should be careful because it can be an important sign of kidney damage.
6. Kidney Pain
It is called flank pain. It means that the side and the lower back area between the rib and hip somewhere we have pain. Sometimes it is very severe pain and difficult to tolerate. Usually, kidney pain starts due to kidney stones and kidney infection which is called pyelonephritis.
7. Oliguria
Oliguria means decreased urine production. People may have thirst dry mouth, dark urine color, dizziness, and lightheadedness. It’s not specific symptoms for oliguria but a person can notice that his urine urinate much less than usual.
Oliguria is caused by dehydration in many cases when a person intakes less fluid and sometimes acute kidney damage due to toxins. It’s important and in many cases it is reversible. Technically, oliguria is defined when urine production is 500ml per 24 hours.
What test do we have for assessing kidney dysfunction?
1. Creatinine
The most important test is creatinin. Creatinin is a by-product of protein breakdown. In our bodies when proteins are breakdown, creatinine is created and creatinine should be extracted by our kidneys normally. but if our kidneys are dysfunctional and can’t extract creatinine. Adequately, creatinine levels increase, and it is a sign of kidney disease.
2. Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate
It is another test, based on the creatinine test. Its estimation and consideration of sex, ethnicity and age are calculated from creatinine and urine nitrogen tests. The estimated glomerular filtration rate is helpful when you want to define the stage of kidney dysfunction disease.
When you have chronic kidney disease, you can define the stage of kidney disease with estimated glomerular filtration rate test and the urine nitrogen test is less specific.
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is the most important disease responsible for high creatinine levels, diabetes, and hypertension. In many cases, it is a gradual deterioration and degradation of the kidney function. Its aim or goal is to slow down the deterioration process.
